SOU L CR ISES 

JAMES WILLIAM ROBINSON 



LIBRARY OF RELIGIOUS THOUGHT 



Class 

Rnnk TH S ^> 

GopyiightK" 

COPYRIGHT DEPOSm 



SOUL CRISES 



OUR RELATION TO THE 
GREAT WAR 



BY 

JAMES WILLIAM ROBINSON 




BOSTON 
THE GORHAM PRESS 

M CM XV I I I 



Copyright, 1918, by James W. Robinson 



All Rights Reserved 




MAV 20 I9i8 



Made in the United States of America 



The Gorham Press. Boston. U. S. A. 



©G1.A497384 



I 



DEDICATED 
To THE Memory of 
SECOND LIEUTENANT GEORGE BUCHANAN SMITH, M.A., LL.B., 

2ND BAXXALION GorDON HIGHLANDERS 

Who Fell ax the Head of His Plaioon in xhe Batile of Loos, 
Sepxember 2SXH, igis, Aged 24 Years 
and 

CAPTAIN ROBERT DUNLOP SMITH 
33RD Punjabi Regimeni, 
Indian Army, 
Who Fell in Acxion ax Beaumonx's Post, 
Near Kilwa, Kivinji, Easi Africa, 
Jtjne ioxh, 191 7, Aged 24 Years 
Gallanx Sons of xhe 
REVEREND PRINCIPAL 
SIR GEORGE AND LADY ADAM SMITH 
D.D., LL.D., DXixx. 
Universixy of Aberdeen 
Who Are Facing Their Soul Crises wixh 
Such Sublime Forxixude and xo Whom 
I Owe More than I Can Ever Repay. 



They were "lovely and pleasant in their lives and in death they 
are not divided." 



PREFACE 



npHE sermons in this volume have been espe- 
daily addressed to young men. I send them 
forth practically as they were delivered. If they 
meet with a reception similar to that accorded 
their delivery I shall feel justified in consenting to 
their pubhcation. 

It is an honor to enjoy the friendship of young 
men, and during my ministry in the West I have 
been delighted with their generous response to 
the gospel message. 

In the following pages I endeavor to speak 
faithfully to all, but I make a special appeal 
to young men. Western Canada is essentially 
a young man's country, and certain anxious 
parents "in the East," who have sons in the 
West, may be wondering whether their boys are 
remembering and respecting the claims of reli- 
gion? To these anxious souls I would say, "We 
have some of the strongest preachers as well as 
some of the most enterprising pastors in the West. 
They have the young man and his needs at heart, 
and as a rule the response of the young man is 
beautiful to behold." Our most promising young 

5 



6 



Preface 



men are alive to two facts : the fact of Christ and 
the fact of temptation. The more loyal they are 
to their Saviour and King the more conscious they 
are of their need to "watch and pray." To every 
young man life is a series of tests. Daily we have 
to make choices. Occasionally we have to choose 
between good and evil, more often we have to 
choose between the better and the best. As young 
men 

*'We are living, we are dwelling, 
In a grand and awful time." 

We are facing a most critical time in the 
world's history as well as a most critical period in 
our own lives. Greater opportunities and graver 
responsibilities never faced young men. We are 
now in the throes of a world-conflict. The issues 
of this present war are tremendous. We are 
fighting for the elementary principles of justice 
and freedom. Into this war we have put our best 
and we believe we have not done it in vain. But 
there is a greater war — the perpetual war between 
righteousness and unrighteousness. In this 
greater war we cannot be neutral. We cannot 
even act the part of interested spectators. Our 
relation to it is vital and we must fight. Every 
worthy young man welcomes the opportunity. We 
are made for war and evil is our foe. The old 
order is passing away. What the new order will 



Preface 



7 



be depends largely upon us. When the present 
crisis came upon us many of our brave fellows 
heard the call and marched away. They have 
given a good account of themselves. It is difficult 
to keep ^'heartbreak at bay" as we frequently read 
that some of our noblest Christian young men 
have been ''killed in action." 

Shall the generous contribution made by our 
brave brothers on behalf of the New Order be 
ignored ? One of our boys writing to his parents 
says : "I hope Canada is preparing for the home- 
coming of her sons. We who have had our bap- 
tism of fire are different men and better men. But 
we fear these good impressions will wear away 
when the boys come home. We will be eager 
for diversion and there are so many temptations 
that I fear for the future of Canada unless she is 
purged and made ready for the home-coming of 
her sons." 

In the face of such an eloquent appeal let us 
rally to the Christian Standard. Preparedness 
has become an international slogan. Moral and 
spiritual preparedness is primary and fundamen- 
tal. Let us enter heart and soul into this great 
moral struggle by enlisting as good soldiers of 
Jesus Christ. To do a little towards creating an 
atmosphere conducive to victory is the aim of this 
volume. 

I gladly acknowledge my indebtedness to the 



8 



Preface 



Rev. W. J. Dawson, D. D., whose inspiring books 
I literally swallowed as a "teen-age" boy, and to 
all other masters who have written upon the sub- 
jects dealt with. I feel with Mr. G. K. Chesterton 
that "I am the man who with the utmost daring 
discovered what had been discovered before." ^ 
With the fervent prayer that it may in some meas- 
ure encourage and inspire young men in their soul 
crises this message is humbly sent forth. 

J. W. Robinson. 

Welwyn, Sask. 
1918. 

* Orthodoxy. 





CONTENTS 








PAGE 


I 


Facing the Crisis .... 




II 


Ignoring the Crisis .... 


2"? 


TIT 








Morally Upright ? . 


^8 

J" 


IV 


What might have been! • . . 




V 


A Present Crisis .... 


66 


VI 


An Urgent Call .... 


8o 


VII 


The Possibilities of the Average 






Man 


93 


VIII 


A Moral Tragedy .... 


io6 


IX 


A Recall, or the Man Who Came 






Back 


121 


X 


Christian Athletes .... 


134 


XI 




146 


XII 


A Domestic Crisis .... 


160 


XIII 


A Spiritual Crisis .... 


174 


XIV 


The Advent of a Conqueror . 


189 


XV 


A National Crisis .... 


201 


XVI 


The Man We Most Urgently Need 


212 


XVII 


An Effective Weapon 


224 


XVIII 


Christian Courage .... 


238 


XIX 


A Great Specialist .... 


252 


XX 


A National Trinity .... 


264 


XXI 


A Challenge to Civilization . 


278 



SOUL CRISES 



SOUL CRISES 



CHAPTER I 

FACING THE CRISIS 
Lord, ujhai ivilt thou have me to do. — Acts IX, 6. 

T^HERE is a certain study which can be made 
very interesting and which is very profitable. 
It is a study which appeals to all who wish to 
know the meaning and purpose of life, and to 
make the most of theirs. The study to which I 
refer is biography. We enjoy reading the lives 
of those who have excelled and while appreciat- 
ing their respective merits we like to discover the 
hidden springs of their character. What was the 
secret of their success ? What was it that led them 
on to greatness? In our perusal of the biog- 
raphies of eminent men we encounter certain fea- 
tures which seem to stand out with more or less 
prominence. As we ponder the life of any man 
who has distinguished himself, and whom we re- 
gard as a hero, whether he be a hero-soldier or a 
hero-saint, we almost invariably conclude that he 
was a man of great natural ability. 

In most biographies this aspect occupies a place 
13 



14 



Soul Crises 



out of all proportion to other essential, but less 
congenial factors. It is doubtless quite in order 
to magnify the genius of the man who has played 
a conspicuous part in the progress of the world, 
but with all our love for the romantic we must 
not forget that it is untrue to life to magnify the 
genius and minimize the early struggles, the stren- 
uous efforts put forth by way of preparation for 
life's work. It is this customary advertising of the 
brilliant achievements, to the almost total exclu- 
sion of any hint of a Gethsemane's agony or a 
Calvary's cross which has made ordinary people 
conclude that all great men have been favoured 
with a superabundance of natural ability. There 
is a partial truth in this statement, but it is not 
the whole truth by any means. The distinguished 
man may exhibit his talent with such grace and 
ease as to lead us to infer that he is one of those 
geniuses who are born and not made. But ap- 
parent as it seems in nine cases out of ten, history 
does not confirm this conclusion. 

Despite the poetic strain in us which lauds the 
saying that, *'Some are born great, some achieve 
greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon 
them," the diamond must be mined, and even when 
discovered, it must be ground and polished, and 
so with every man born with what we term great 
natural ability. It is my growing conviction that 
the big majority who distinguish themselves 
achieve greatness. They rise from the ranks and 
the most casual observer may acquaint himself 



Facing the Crisis 



15 



with the fact that a large percentage of the real 
heroes of the race owe nothing to the possession 
of the silver spoon. The secret of their success 
lies in something deeper and more fundamental 
than great natural ability. What we, in our com- 
placent ignorance, delight to call great natural 
ability, these men of the order of the lion heart 
call by another name ; and were they so disposed, 
they could open chapters in their history which 
would inform us that they knew how to "toil ter- 
ribly." As we scanned those pages we would read 
of many a bloody sweat, and of many a cross pa- 
tiently borne ; until they emerged from the gloom 
in resurrection power, and the world was com- 
pelled to acknowledge their greatness. 

Another feature which is easily discernible as 
we study the biography of the great man is, what 
many are pleased to term, his good fortune. The 
lines fell to him in pleasant places. He just hap- 
pened to be there, and things invariably came his 
way. The whole cycle of events just seemed to 
wait to confer fresh honours upon him. The 
worldly-wise account for his fame by a study of 
astrology. He was born on a lucky day; he had a 
lucky star, and his whole story is summed up in 
his being more fortunate than his fellows. 

It is the old story of luck, but luck is something 
with which he whom the world delights to honour 
never took time to confer. He was not hanging 
around with nothing to do in particular when all 
this good fortune arrested his attention and car- 



i6 



Soul Crises 



ried him on to glory. No ! He was a man with 
a mission; life had a meaning to him. He had a 
part to play, and whether good fortune smiled or 
frowned to that end he came forth ; for that he had 
toiled incessantly; for that he had risked the loss 
of all. Others were around before he came upon 
the scene, but were unequal to the illustrious task. 
When he came, it was easily recognized that he 
alone was master of the situation. He was not 
carried there by luck or good fortune ; he came to 
his own by the sheer logic of honest drudgery. 
Luck was an unknown word in his vocabulary. He 
tarried not for good fortune; nor feared to face 
bad fortune, but through good report and evil he 
kept on his lonely way. 

There are those who seem to partition time off 
into lucky and unlucky days, who shun super- 
stitious omens, and believe in lucky stars. One or 
two things about these people I have observed. 
Luck is the forlorn hope of the man who was born 
tired, and who has never conquered his inertia. 
Luck is the creed of the morally bankrupt. Luck 
is the god of the spiritually blind, who eventually 
find themselves in the ditch. Luck sounds very 
romantic; and is, in fact, quite as romantic in its re- 
wards as in its promises. It promises something 
for nothing and eventually its votary dies. On his 
tombstone write, "This is a man who for forty 
years was always going to do something; but who 
was waiting for something to turn up, and lo ! here 
he lies in a pauper's grave." 



Facing the Crisis 



17 



The secret of renown lies in something more 
fundamental than natural ability; in something 
more reliable than good fortune; it lies in the 
birth of a single strenuous purpose in the soul. 
Before the advent of an all-controlling purpose, 
great natural ability and good fortune pale into 
insignificance. Such is the potency of an idea, such 
the power of purpose ! When a man comes to a 
crisis, faces the issue, and chooses to do the one 
thing worth while, he has clothed himself with a 
power before which time and death are impotent. 
The man without a purpose is like a ship without 
a rudder: he has no aim in life. He is simply 
drifting on the high seas, and when hailed by a 
passing ship, "Whither bound?" he answers with 
a laugh of derision, "Nowhere in particular; out 
for a good time." Such a life is bound for the 
rocks. 

An imperative question for every young man 
standing on the threshold of life to ask is : "Lord, 
what wilt thou have me to do?" Such a question 
is evidence that we have awakened to the greatest 
issue confronting the mind of man. The words of 
our text ring with genuine interest for us because 
they mark the crisis in the history of a soul. Saul 
of Tarsus was certainly a young man of more than 
average ability; he was the very essence of devo- 
tion, and withal eager to succeed. Fortune smiled 
upon him, and it seemed as though nothing could 
hinder his ascent up the ladder of Rabbinical fame, 
when, lo ! a light appeared on the highway of life : 



i8 



Soul Crises 



he saw a face; he heard a voice, and all was 
changed ! Here his Pharisaical career terminated. 
Here he exchanged the path of persecution for the 
path of martyrdom, and with the cry, "Lord, what 
wilt thou have me to do?" he pledged himself for- 
ever the bond-slave of Jesus Christ. 

Will any of you dare to suggest that he made a 
mistake? No man ever makes a mistake, no mat- 
ter how favourable his chances of promotion, or 
how certain his fame, who, with a glorious aban- 
don, throws policy and caution to the winds and 
with grim determination cries, "Lord, what wilt 
thou have me to do?" Sometimes we have to 
choose between good and evil, and sometimes we 
have to choose between the better and the best. 
There is fame, and there is immortality. Fame 
awaited Saul as a Rabbi, but the Rabbis, even the 
greatest, have passed off the stage and their great- 
ness is a memory; while St. Paul who was en- 
trusted with the future of Christianity grasped the 
situation, and proved himself its master by over- 
throwing paganism and conquering the world. St. 
Paul lives to-day, and easily takes his place at the 
head of that noble line of heroes and martyrs of 
whom the world was not worthy. 

In asking you to consider a few features of his 
remarkable life, I beg no pardons, for I ask you 
to behold a man: a man who was transformed by 
the living Christ and transfigured by the power of 
purpose. I want you to come with me along the 
Damascus road; that road which is symboUc of re- 



Facing the Crisis 



19 



pentance toward God and faith in our Lord Jesus 
Christ. I want you to see this prostrate man, pale 
and trembling, with a great fear in his heart, in- 
tensified by the conviction that he has been living 
at cross-purposes with God, lifting his face heaven- 
ward, and I want you to hear him in a subdued 
voice say, ^'Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?" 
He is a conquered man. Hov/ truly he could enter 
into the experience of another who cried, "O Gali- 
lean, Thou hast conquered." He is a resolved 
man. He has come to an irrevocable decision. 
He volunteers his services. He wants to do some- 
thing for the Lord. What can he do? 

If you and I had looked at that prostrate form 
we would have asked him to stand up. We would 
have taken a mental survey of him and then we 
might have confessed, "We wanted you for an 
apostle, but your appearance is against you." It 
was quite true, at least in so far as tradition can 
be trusted, and St. Paul confirms this conclusion. 
His appearance was against him. Speaking of 
himself Paul says, "Who in presence am base 
among you." "His bodily presence is weak and 
his speech contemptible." St. Paul's appearance 
was certainly against him. He was undersized 
and he was weak-eyed, but he was not weak- 
kneed. In that little frail body, often racked with 
infirmity, there slumbered the soul of a giant. If 
this young man had come up before many of our 
modern church courts, offering his services as a 
minister, I'm afraid he would have been rejected. 



20 



Soul Crises 



A few generations ago a young man presented 
himself as a candidate for the Christian ministry. 
He was rejected by one church but he tried an- 
other. He was none other than Dr. Joseph 
Parker who began life as an assistant to a mason. 
Speaking of himself he said, "I early reached the 
conclusion that God intended me for something 
higher than carrying bricks." Dr. Parker was a 
prophet in his day and generation, and he being 
dead yet speaketh. What happened to a spiritual 
giant like Dr. Parker has, doubtless, been expe- 
rienced by many others. 

In asking the most momentous question of your 
life, you may wonder what you can do. In appear- 
ance you may have a distinct advantage over St. 
Paul. Healthy in body and supple in limb; 
well proportioned, strong in muscle and graceful 
in bearing. A good appearance is not to be de- 
spised. It is a great asset. If your appearance 
is against you you may be conscious of a serious 
handicap, but do not be discouraged. Make your 
disadvantage a ladder. 

A weak appearance may be glorified by God, 
and suffered by man, but not so discouragement. 
Discouragement is a sin which must be dealt with 
in its early stages or all is lost. Discouragement 
acts like lead around the body of a strong swim- 
mer; it weighs him down out of sight. Appear- 
ance is a serious factor in daily affairs, but when 
compared with the power of purpose it is a minor 
detail. 



Facing the Crisis 



11 



As we interview Saul regarding his attainments 
we quickly conclude that he is a talented young 
man. He was born in Tarsus of Cilicia. Tarsus 
was a city of wealth and culture. After receiving 
a liberal education in his native city, Saul went 
up to Jerusalem to receive further instruction from 
the renowned GamaHel. There he distinguished 
himself, and prophecy was rife as to his even sur- 
passing his brilliant master. Naturally a student 
and burning with a thirst for knowledge, it seemed 
as though nothing would prevent him becoming 
the greatest scholar of his time. Scholastic fame 
was within easy reach. But on the road to Da- 
mascus he experienced a change which led him 
to break forever with the past and with a vision 
of the true meaning and purpose of life he cried, 
'Xord, what wilt thou have me to do?" 

When we turn from the consideration of St. 
Paul's personal appearance to his personal attain- 
ments we instinctively feel that the tables have 
been turned. We are standing in the presence 
of an intellectual giant who commands our admira- 
tion. Without question we acknowledge ourselves 
in the presence of one who is our superior. But 
while we revere him, let us not get benumbed in 
his presence; for he too had a beginning. When 
he asked this question he was an untried man. 

Until we set ourselves bravely and persistently, 
to the task we never know what we can do. Most 
men who have distinguished themselves in life 
have been almost as big a revelation to themselves 



22 



Soul Crises 



as they have been to other people. Therefore 
while conscious of our limitations let us recognize 
that we belong to the same order of life as Socra- 
tes and Seneca, Handel and Shakespeare, Luther 
and Lincoln. Every life has a mission and "who 
knoweth whether thou art come to the Kingdom 
for such a time as this?" We all have talents for 
something, and I am not concerned about ascer- 
taining the precise nature of your talents : what I 
am concerned about is this, Are you willing even 
now, to dedicate them to God? 

Recollect, before you can hope to have the tal- 
ent of achievement you must utilize the talent of 
preparation. To every aspiring young life I would 
say. Have you the talent of application and the 
talent of perseverance? If you have you are pos- 
sessed of omnipotence. There are some people 
who have general talents for everything and par- 
ticular talents for nothing. Of these people I 
fight shy. Application and perseverance always 
tell. 

We have two notable illustrations of this fact 
in Demosthenes and Coleridge. That Coleridge 
was a "myriad-minded man" all literary men will 
agree. His genius was evident to one and all. 
In his early life no one met him without a sense 
of wonder and admiration. The apostrophe of 
Charles Lamb respecting him, as Dr. W. J. Daw- 
son has so ably expressed it, is "equally famous 
and pathetic." "Come back into memory, like 
as thou wert in the dayspring of thy fancies, with 



Facing the Crisis 



23 



hope like a fiery column before thee — the dark 
pillar not yet turned, Samuel Taylor Coleridge — 
Logician, Metaphysician, Bard!"^ What he did 
produce is the pure gold of literature, but he frit- 
tered away his time and did practically nothing. 
Compare Coleridge with Demosthenes. Demos- 
thenes had an ambition to be an orator, but he 
was troubled with defective speech. Any one 
can appreciate how hard it must be for a stam- 
merer or a stutterer to excel as a speaker, but 
Demosthenes applied himself with a will. He 
studied his calling and practised his art on the 
sea shore with pebbles in his mouth until he be- 
came one of the few experts in expressing the 
beautiful but intricate language of Greece. 

One more glance at this young man Saul, and 
then we must leave him for the present. As we 
listen to him we become convinced that he is in- 
tensely devout. Saul was the very embodiment of 
sincerity. We do him serious injustice if we think 
otherwise. He mourns the fact of his having been 
a persecutor, but confesses that he did it ignor- 
antly in unbelief. Never was a man inspired by 
loftier motives than Saul, when he set out to over- 
throw Christianity. But when the light of God 
flashed upon his soul, he became aware that his fife 
hitherto had been a huge blunder and trembling 
with astonishment he cried, "Lord, what wilt thou 
have me to do?" 

Young people, I do not question your sincerity. 

* The Making of Manhood. 



24 



Soul Crises 



It may be as transparent as the noon-day light, but 
sincerity is not all. May not your life with all its 
good intentions be wrong? Have you recognized 
and acknowledged the Kingship of Christ? Let 
your life be guided by an intelligent purpose, and 
henceforth and forever may it be your purpose 
and mine to live Christ! 



CHAPTER II 



IGNORING THE CRISIS 

Lest there be any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, ivho 
for one morsel of meat sold his birthright. For ye knonv hovj 
that afterward, <when he vjould have inherited the blessing, he 
ivas rejected: for he found no place of repentance, though he 
sought it carefully with tears. — Heb. XII, 16-17. 

JACOB and Esau are brought before us, by the 
sacred historian in a very realistic manner. 
Taking the two young men as they are depicted to 
us, they present a very profitable and interesting 
study. As we look at them our first impression 
is that they are not akin. One is red and rough 
and ready; the other is white and smooth and 
deep. When we are fully convinced that they are 
brothers and twins at that, we marvel at the strik- 
ing contrasts to be found in the same family. 
Doubtless we often have remarked upon the dif- 
ferences in children: difference in disposition, of 
ambition, and of appearance, in numbers of fam- 
ilies we have known. 

These two boys have no family resemblance 
whatever and as they grow to manhood they ex- 
hibit different traits of character. Esau was a cun- 
ning hunter, while Jacob was a plain man dwelling 
in tents. Jacob was shrewd, calculating and 

25 



26 



Soul Crises 



crafty; whereas Esau was frank and goodnatured ; 
but withal reckless and impatient of all restraint. 

These two brothers come upon the stage as 
actors in a scene which reveals their character, 
and decides their destiny. In the first act we see 
the sturdy but famished hunter returning from the 
chase, and we impulsively sympathize with him as 
we see him staggering along and almost falling 
with exhaustion. In the foreground we see his 
scheming brother preparing a tempting meal. He 
has been watching for a favorable opportunity, 
and now he is determined to have his price before 
his brother shares his meal. The mess of red 
lentils looked very savoury, and the smell of it 
simply took Esau by storm. We are told of the 
Arab by those who know him well, that his hunger 
is madness. That madness is now upon Esau. 
Being a hearty eater at any time and knowing the 
pleasure of gratifying a good appetite he ex- 
claimed, "Feed me, I pray thee, with that red — 
that red!" He did not know what to call it: but 
it looked good to eat, and it would satisfy the 
cravings of hunger. 

And Jacob said, "Sell me this day thy birth- 
right." The birthright was more than a title. It 
was an honour which carried with it certain dis- 
tinct advantages. In the Jewish economy the first- 
born was signally favoured, he was consecrated 
to God, he received a double portion of the inheri- 
tance, he became the recognised leader or chief of 
the tribe, and had a right to demand a particular 



Ignoring the Crisis 



27 



blessing from his dying father. 

By meditation, Jacob had peered into the future ; 
and had a fairly accurate idea of the advantages 
accruing from the birthright; while Esau had 
thought little or nothing about it. And without 
the slightest suspicion that he was nearing a crisis 
he burst out, "Behold I am at the point to die, and 
what profit shall my birthright do to me?" No! 
Esau ! thou art far from dying ! A dying man is 
not quite so vehement. Thy words are an outburst 
of passion rather than a cry of pain! Esau is 
suffering from a lack of patience. Other men have 
been as hungry, and tightened their belts. Why 
didn't he set to work and prepare his own meal? 
Surely Jacob did not have a monopoly of all the 
red lentils in the country. Had Esau exercised 
patience, and behaved like a full grown man, in- 
stead of acting the part of a giant baby, he would 
not have ignored his crisis. 

What a tempted man needs is patience, staying 
power, the ability to hold out. If he can hold out 
long enough, the demon of darkness will release 
his grip, and he will emerge from the struggle 
victorious. 

In the second act upon this stage the bargain has 
been accepted, the birthright has been sold, and 
Esau is busy satisfying the cravings of hunger. 
As we watch the two brothers we hardly can re- 
frain from remarking that one lives to eat, and 
the other eats to live ; one has a stomach, and the 
other has a soul; one is a kind of digesting ma- 



28 



Soul Crises 



chine, the other thinks, and, whether commendable 
or not, he gets things going his way. It is hardly 
necessary to say, that as they stand neither of them 
is a saint. In fact one of them does not wish to 
be regarded as a saint. He had little use for 
prayers and pious looks. They might be all very 
well for his aged father; but as for his slick 
brother a fine kind of saint he would make. 

Although Jacob was no saint he ultimately be- 
came one. To begin with he did not give much 
promise of sainthood; rather he was full of faults, 
and among others he was guilty of the detestable 
fault of meanness. Jacob's conduct has been a 
problem to a great many young men ; but whatever 
view you take of Jacob remember that God did 
not countenance his wrongdoing. "Whatsoever a 
man soweth that shall he also reap," and Jacob 
was no exception. 

On the other hand Esau was frank and free; 
an openhanded fellow with an honest heart. He 
was the kind of a young man you like to meet, 
but when you have been in his company for a 
while you have his depth. At first he can charm 
you with his hunting adventures, but you soon tire 
of hunting stories, and when you begin to talk 
on any other subject to Esau, he is at sea. All 
he can wax eloquent about is a good square meal; 
his last carousal, or his anticipation of the next. 
You have met those amiable Esaus. They are 
fine fellows; but if you take them away from their 
favourite subjects of appetite or sport, they are 



Ignoring the Crisis 



29 



dumb. They can tell you nothing about the best 
authors; for they do not read those books which 
are worth while and which are the best thoughts 
of the noblest brains that ever throbbed. They 
do not care for music; for they do not sing the 
songs that have led battalions on to victory. They 
are strangers to the divine power of sacred song. 
As for art they may gaze upon it, but they cannot 
see its inner beauty. They have the eyes of a 
hawk but the vision of an owl. How keen-sighted 
they are I By a kind of instinct they can discern a 
beast in the forest, or a ball upon the field, but 
they are blind to the really beautiful in art, in 
nature and in history. 

A would-be critic said to Turner, "I never see 
such sunsets as you paint." 

The artist replied saying, "Don't you wish you 
could?" 

As for the sacred name of religion, these Esaus 
have no use for it; they are emphatically unspirit- 
ual. They can see no need for ministers and 
churches and Sundays and endless expense. We 
have Esaus around us who glory in their physical 
strength, as though the body were everything, 
but as for their soub they never seem to give them 
a passing thought! They are strong and swift 
and clever. They win our admiration as athletes, 
and, indeed, they are splendid animals; but in 
moral calibre and spiritual force they are as chil- 
dren who have not yet begun to walk or talk. 
These Esaus with their splendid physique are full 



30 



Soul Crises 



of promise, but unless the body hands the reins 
of moral government to the soul, they will plunge 
forward into madness and ruin. 

Esau sells his birthright, eats his meal, and 
goes out as though nothing had happened, but he 
has not gone for good, he will return again, and 
when he returns he will be brought face to face 
with his folly. 

In the third act an old man sits upon the stage. 
He is almost blind. Isaac imagines he is about to 
go the way of all flesh, and before he makes his 
exit from the stage he intends to bless his first- 
born. Esau is called and given his instructions. 
*'Now therefore take, I pray thee, thy weapons, 
thy quiver and thy bow, and go out to the field, 
and take me some venison ; and make me savoury 
meat, such as I love, and bring it to me, that I 
may eat; that my soul may bless thee before I die." 
Esau goes on his errand, and presently in comes 
Jacob dressed as Esau, and bringing with him 
savoury meat. Isaac cries, ''Who art thou my 
son?" 

Jacob tells the first of his three lies, and steals 
the blessing. He retires, and has just made good 
his retreat, when in comes Esau saying, "Let my 
father arise, and eat of his son's venison, that 
thy soul may bless me." 

Isaac trembled, and said, "Who? Where is 
he that hath taken venison, and brought it me, and 
I have eaten of all before thou camest, and have 
blessed him? Yea, and he shall be blessed." 



Ignoring the Crisis 



31 



"And when Esau heard the words of his father, 
he cried with a great and exceeding bitter cry, and 
said unto his father. Bless me, even me also, O 
my father!" 

We are profoundly moved by this exceeding 
great and bitter cry. It is always an affecting 
sight to see a man in tears; but to hear a strong 
man crying out in an agony of anguish is simply 
heartrending. We feel the tragedy of his posi- 
tion as we take our stand by the side of poor heart- 
broken Esau. The tragedy is this: his tears are 
of no avail, the blessing has been pronounced upon 
the head of another, and what is done cannot be 
undone. Our hearts vibrate with genuine sympa- 
thy for Esau as the consequences of his folly break 
upon him like a bolt from the blue. We instinct- 
ively take sides with him as he vows vengeance on 
his brother, and as for the part played by his 
mother we regard such treachery as beneath con- 
tempt. But we must exercise a care. 

There is a law in the moral realm which we 
break at our peril; and we are all too eager to 
look for sympathy and excuse ourselves when the 
consequences of our wilfulness are brought home 
to us. 

As for Jacob, he also sinned and that most 
grievously. He played the detestable part of a 
sneak and a coward. The blessing went with the 
birthright and had Jacob been a truer man he 
would have chosen a more honourable means of 
obtaining it. 



32 



Soul Crises 



The present seems an opportune time for vent- 
ing our wrath upon all the crafty and cowardly 
conspirators that ever have lived; upon all the 
scheming, self-seeking Jacobs at work in modern 
times, but we must refrain. 

Jacob's meanness is no excuse for Esau's folly. 
Esau is a type of that vaunting individual who 
gaily intimates that he is going to sow his wild 
oats. The would-be Esau had better reflect upon 
his course. There is seed-time and harvest in the 
moral world, and harvest time comes with uner- 
ring certainty. Esau's behaviour over a mess of 
pottage was anything but commendable. His im- 
patient utterance then was a seed sown which 
grew into an exceeding great and bitter cry. "Be- 
hold, I am at the point to die: and what profit 
shall the birthright do to me?" His words re- 
veal a lack of reverence. If he had thought se- 
riously what the birthright meant to him he would 
have been more reluctant in parting with it. His 
demeanour suggests that he had thought little or 
nothing about it. He did not appreciate the fact 
that his father was a patriarch and that, in the 
natural order of things he would succeed his 
father, and have the unspeakable privilege of 
walking and talking with God. 

A lack of reverence is a serious defect in a 
young man's character. But you ask, "What did 
Esau know about reverence?" He was not a 
heathen or we might excuse him. It is to be 
feared that many poor heathen groping in pagan 



Ignoring the Crisis 



33 



darkness have reflected more upon the majesty and 
mystery of human life than many of our young 
people living in Christian homes. They fail to 
see any advantage in having a godly father and a 
praying mother. Esau-like they are despising 
their birthright. Esau had opportunities for 
healthy reflection. Though modest, his father 
was a distinguished man, a man honoured of God 
and esteemed by his fellows, but Esau cared for 
none of these things. Life to him was a hunting 
ground, and as far as we can gather from the 
sacred records, he had no more reverence for God 
and the world than had the animals he stalked in 
the chase. Besides, even though he was not a god- 
fearing youth he might have exhibited a degree 
of self-reverence which makes a man feel the dig- 
nity of human life, and to, at least, ask himself 
the questions, "Whence?" and "Whither?" 

Is not lack of reverence one of the outstanding 
defects in the life of the modern youth? Rever- 
ence is an intuition of the soul. It suggests mod- 
esty in the presence of mystery. Reverence should 
be more in evidence in the home, in the church, 
and in the world. Young people ! Recognize the 
dignity of human nature, and the uniqueness of 
your own individuality. Consider your relation- 
ship to God and ponder the words of the Psalmist 
concerning man, "Thou hast made him but little 
lower than God, and crownest him with glory and 
honour. Thou madest him to have dominion 
over the works of Thy hands" (R. V.). A "littl^ 



34 



Soul Crises 



lower than God!" 

What manner of persons ought we to be? As 
our responsibilities dawn upon us we will stand in 
awe, like Moses before the burning bush, or like 
Jacob we will cry, "Surely the Lord is in this place 
and I knew it not." Reverence is an essential 
feature in the character of all who appreciate their 
birthright. Had Esau been as eager to feed his 
mind as he was to gratify his appetite, he would 
have been a king among men. 

It is one of the appalHng aspects of our modern 
life that so many who might have graced promi- 
nent positions are feasting their lower nature and 
leaving their souls to starve. "Behold, I am at 
the point to die: and what profit shall my birth- 
right do to me?" Esau's outburst not only sug- 
gests a lack of reverence, but reveals a lack of self- 
control. He could not hold himself in check until 
he had decided whether he was acting wisely or 
foolishly in agreeing to such terms as Jacob made. 
His lower nature had possession of the reins. He 
had yielded to its voice so often that now it would 
brook no refusal. It cried out for a mess of pot- 
tage, and regardless of the price it must have it. 

At first the lower nature makes very modest de- 
mands, but as these demands are gratified it as- 
sumes alarming proportions, and eventually drags 
the higher nature along as a captive in chains. 
Beware of the power of appetite ! To lose your 
self-control puts you very much in the position of 
a man on a run-away horse. You do not know 



Ignoring the Crisis 



35 



where the brute will carry you. 

Esau's impatient outburst also reveals his pro- 
fanity. It is a terrible indictment to label a man 
profane. In the Bible Esau is referred to as that 
''profane person." The more we study his act and 
attitude the more are we convinced that this in- 
dictment, although severe, is just. "Profane." 
The word of God very clearly demonstrates that 
we cannot tamper with our religious privileges. 
We trifle with them at our peril. A reckless disre- 
gard for a high and holy calling which carries 
with it an enduring inheritance reaps its own har- 
vest. A despised birthright culminates in an ex- 
ceeding great and bitter cry. Irreverence leads 
to profanity, and a lack of self-control prepares 
the way to fornication. 

Esau's eyes were eventually opened to the con- 
sequences of his folly and he tried to repent: to 
undo the past, but he was too late. Tears — not 
even tears of repentance — could give him back the 
birthright he had despised. How full of warning 
is Esau's example to us ! "Lest there be any for- 
nicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one 
morsel of meat sold his birthright. For ye know 
how that afterward, when he would have inherited 
the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no 
place of repentance, though he sought it carefully 
with tears." 

What a volume of suggestion there is in that 
word, "afterward!" There is an "afterward" in 
every life. If a man has lived for God there is 



36 



Soul Crises 



an afterward of abiding peace, ''in the evening it 
shall be light.*' If a man has "sown the wind, he 
shall reap the whirlwind." His afterward shall 
be one of sorrow and remorse. 

What have we done with our birthright? We 
have a birthright before which the birthright of 
Esau pales into insignificance. His birthright car- 
ried with it great privileges, but ours makes us 
*'heirs of God and joint-heirs with Christ." 
If it was a sin for Esau to despise his birthright, 
''how shall me escape if we neglect so great sal- 
vation?" 

Esau was too late for the blessing which went 
with the birthright but when he was convinced of 
the consequences of his youthful folly he pleaded 
with commendable tenacity before his father, and 
he did not plead in vain. As we listen to his 
heart-broken accents, "Bless me, even me also, O 
my father!" we are moved with compassion. 
Esau is beginning to appreciate the value of spirit- 
ual things. As he continues to plead, "Hast thou 
not reserved a blessing for me?" we are reminded 
of a crisis of our own when we said, "I will arise 
and go to my Father." Esau's final plea pre- 
vailed. "Hast thou but one blessing, my father? 
bless me, even me also, O my father!" 

"And Esau lifted up his voice and wept." 
Moved by the importunate cries and tears of his 
son, Isaac said unto him, "Behold thy dwelling 
shall be the fatness of the earth, and of the dew 
of heaven from above; and by thy sword shalt 



Ignoring the Crisis 



37 



thou live, and shalt serve thy brother; and it shall 
come to pass when thou shalt have the dominion, 
that thou shalt break his yoke from off thy neck.'* 
This lesser blessing was the reward of Esau's per- 
severing prayer even at the eleventh hour. 

The past is beyond recall, but the present and 
the future are yours. Christ came *'to seek and to 
save that which was lost." He is seeking for you 
and says, "Him that cometh unto me, I will in no 
wise cast out." 



CHAPTER III 



CAN CHRIST DO ANYTHING FOR THE MORALLY 
UPRIGHT? 

Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scrip- 
ture, and preached unto him Jesus. — Acts VIII, 35. 

THE divinity of Christianity is seen in its trans- 
forming effect upon all types of character. 
During its onward march from the day on which 
its Founder hung on Calvary's hill to the present 
it has given ample proof of its adaptability to meet 
the requirements and supply the needs of every 
age and clime. In each succeeding generation, it 
has been the power of God unto salvation to every 
man, woman, and child, who has believed with the 
heart unto righteousness. The reclaiming and re- 
newing of moral and physical wrecks is often re- 
ferred to as the peculiar glory of our holy religion. 
This is a buoyant truth which shines as a star of 
hope to the man standing on the brink of despair. 
This truth we reiterate with sacred joy: Christ is 
able to save to the uttermost "all that come unto 
God by Him." 

When the members of the Jewish sanhedrim, 
gs they were straining for evidence to convict 
Peter and John, beheld the lame man healed they 

38 



Can Christ do Anything for Upright? 39 



could say nothing against it. They were too 
prejudiced to say anything in its favour, but so 
evident was the fact of restoration that try as they 
might, they could say nothing against it. Jesus 
heals the lame man. This is one of the unan- 
swerable arguments which support His claim to 
be the Son of God, and the Saviour of the world. 
When men like St. Augustine, John Bunyan, and 
Jerry McAuley give an unvarnished statement of 
their vices and then proceed to relate how they 
were plucked as brands from the burning, we mar- 
vel. And when we reflect upon their transformed 
Hves, radiant with the beauty of holiness, and their 
strenuous labours as ambassadors of Christ, we 
are constrained to magnify God for His grace in 
them. Let this truth be universally proclaimed: 
there is hope and pardon, life and immortality for 
the hardened, blackened transgressor. Yes, even 
for the man who has lost faith in himself and his 
fellows; there is mercy and salvation for him if 
he will seek the Lord in sincerity and in truth. 

But is this the only type of character with which 
Christ is able do deal effectively? By no means. 
He welcomes all sorts and conditions of men, and 
whether their diseases are appalling to themselves 
or not taken very seriously. He diagnoses every 
case, reveals to each his true condition, and in 
His mercy heals them all. "Whosoever will, may 
come, and partake of the water of life freely." 

In this address it is my intention, in so far as I 
^m able, to show what Christ can do for those whp 



40 



Soul Crises 



are morally upright. There are large numbers, 
especially of young people, who have been reared 
in Christian homes, who have been shielded by 
Christian influences, and who regularly attend 
public worship. Many of these pride themselves 
upon their clean lives, and such are to be com- 
mended for their uprightness. But what is the 
Lord Christ able to do for them? Will He say 
to such, ''Your training has been so satisfactory 
and your lives so free from open transgression 
that you may be saved by proxy" ? No ! He will 
not say that ; although He fully appreciates all the 
good there is in every life. 

Good deeds, not even engaging in church work, 
will save us. "Not of works, lest any man should 
boast." The Ethiopian eunuch is a type of those 
who are morally upright, and we will see what 
Christ did for him. Let us make a brief study 
of his character. ''Behold, a man of Ethiopia, 
an eunuch of great authority under Candace, queen 
of the Ethiopians, who had charge of all her 
treasure, and had come to Jerusalem for to wor- 
ship, was returning, and sitting in his chariot read 
Esaias, the prophet." This eunuch was a re- 
markable man. There are several things in his 
favour, and I trust we shall benefit by his example. 
He was a man of culture. This is evident from 
the statement that he was a man of great author- 
ity, also from the position which he occupied as 
treasurer for Candace, queen of the Ethiopians. 
There is considerable difference between a man of 



Can Christ do Anything for Upright f 41 



culture and an ignoramus. We may infer rea- 
sonably that this eunuch had improved his oppor- 
tunities for getting knowledge and experience. 
There is no royal road to success, and when we 
read that he was "a man of great authority" we 
are reminded of days, and months, and probably 
years of diHgent study by way of preparation for 
his life work. 

As *a rule ignorant people are not given posi- 
tions of responsibility. Whatever methods of pro- 
motion may have obtained in the past there is no 
uncertainty about the methods in vogue to-day. 
This is preeminently an age of scientific knowl- 
edge. It is brains and not patronage that counts. 
It is what a man is, and not what his rich uncle 
or his father is, that determines his position in 
the realm of affairs. By our own merits we stand 
or fall. If we would live effectively, we must 
specialize. Henry Ward Beecher thrilled the stu- 
dents of Yale University when he gave utterance 
to words well worthy of our thought. He said, 
''Know something about everything, but know 
everything about something." In any sphere it is 
by no means satisfactory to have just enough prac- 
tical knowledge to retain a certain position: the 
demand which is becoming more and more insist- 
ent is that we become experts in our respective 
callings. We are not merely supposed to occupy 
certain positions, but to grace them with efficiency 
and success. It will hardly be necessary for me to 
enlarge upon the advantages of youthful diligence, 



42 



Soul Crises 



and faithful application. The day will come when 
the diligent youth will be rewarded with a posi- 
tion of trust and honour. It is easy to talk of the 
eminence of men like the late W. E. Gladstone, 
but did they slip into their positions by accident? 
Look across the years ! See the youth Gladstone 
carefully utilizing half hours in study that his 
school mates were spending in play. 

The Ethiopian eunuch was a trusted servant. 
He was at home in the realm of finance, and he 
graced his position by efficiency and honour. 
Again, He was a religious man. We are apt, with 
a meaning glance, to speak of a man as being of a 
religious turn of mind. But any man who passes 
religion by, as a subject not worthy of his notice, 
is either a superficial observer of the cardinal facts 
of human life, or the owner of a very shallow 
mind. A man's religious attitude is a determining 
factor in his career. This eunuch did not regard 
religion as a mere matter of sentiment, but as a 
vital reality. He was true to the light he had, 
and any man who is true to the light he has will 
ultimately be led to the true light. To begin with, 
he was a heathen, but paganism had nothing in it 
with which to satisfy the spiritual requirements of 
his nature, so he renounced paganism, and em- 
braced Judaism. Some critics are of the opinion 
that the Jewish religion was introduced into Ethio- 
pia by the Queen of Sheba, on her return from 
visiting Solomon. This is hardly probable, al- 
though it is patent that the eunuch was well versed 



Can Christ do Anything for Upright? 43 

in the faith he had embraced. He believed it to 
be the truth, and he was consistent in performing 
the duties his new faith required of him. Of his 
sincerity we are assured by the fact of his pilgrim- 
age to Jerusalem to attend the feast. Although he 
was high in the social scale, and one of the leading 
statesmen of his country, he did not neglect his 
religious obligations. Had he been so disposed, he 
might have discovered a few excuses fully as rea- 
sonable as are generally given to justify absence 
from public worship, but he was too good a man 
for that. As a rule those people who have most to 
do along domestic, agricultural, and commercial 
lines have most time to attend to their moral and 
spiritual interests. This eunuch's conduct enables 
us to see that he was a man of sincere devotion. 

He was the proud possessor of a copy of The 
Law and the Prophets, and consequently an ardent 
Bible student. In modern life books multiply so 
quickly that we fail to appreciate their worth. 
Centuries ago Bibles were few and expensive; 
and where one was to be found, chained to a stand 
in a church, and a reader was available, there 
were many eager listeners to the truth. That the 
eunuch had in his possession a copy of the Hebrew 
scriptures intimates that he was a man of con- 
siderable wealth. Note carefully where his Bible 
was. He did not have it put away at the back of 
his chariot. In these days it seems as though many 
Bibles were too precious for every day use, judg- 
ing by the places in which they are to be found, 



44 



Soul Crises 



provided one can be found, when the preacher 
makes a pastoral call. Let us see to it that we 
never become too busy to read a portion of the 
word of God every day. A well-thumbed Bible is 
a fair indication of a prosperous soul. This man 
was not ahead of us in possessing a Bible, for in 
the majority of homes there are two or three, but 
he certainly appears to advantage when we re- 
member that the minister caught him in the act of 
reading it. He did not pick it up and open it at 
random when he saw Philip coming, for he was 
engaged in a very thoughtful study of the fifty- 
third chapter of Isaiah, and if ever a man was 
near the Kingdom it was he. The supreme mo- 
ment in his history was fast approaching. 

In estimating the character and conduct of this 
eunuch, you will readily agree that he compares 
favourably with the morally upright persons I de- 
scribed at the beginning of this address. It is 
sometimes a hard proposition to convince these 
good people of their need of Christ. A favourite 
plea of theirs is, "What better can I do?" or 
"What better can I be?" The defect of their po- 
sition is that stress is laid on good works, instead 
of saving faith. It is imperative that we avoid 
confusion in this matter. It is not a question of 
being made better: it is a question of being re- 
made. Christ offers a new heart and a new spirit 
to morally good people, as He does to all men, 
and the need is imperative in every case. "Ye 
must be born again." 



Can Christ do Anything for Upright f 45 



This eunuch was a good man in every respect. 
He was a splendid business man, and he was in- 
tensely religious, yet he was not a Christian. 
Brethren! let us rest satisfied with nothing short 
of a whole-hearted surrender of ourselves, just 
as we are, to Jesus Christ. Any man who seeks 
for the truth as this man did will most assuredly 
find it. Man's extremity is God's opportunity. 

Shall we now consider the change he experi- 
enced? There is something very sad in the experi- 
ence of this devout worshipper, and the sadness is 
intensified when we consider that he is not alone. 
He had come on a pilgrimage to Jerusalem for the 
express purpose of quenching his thirst at the well 
of truth. He had studied Judaism until he came 
to respect and embrace its teaching; but withal, 
the demands of his nature were not satisfied, and 
he took this long journey to appease the heart 
hunger which all men have felt. The teaching of 
the Hebrew scriptures appealed to him so strongly 
that he wondered if there were anything more in 
them. He had been to Jerusalem, had joined in 
the Temple services, and was returning dissatis- 
fied. He had an idea that the last word had not 
been spoken concerning those scriptures. And in 
his perplexity he took up the book, and began to 
read aloud, pondering every word, "He was 
wounded for our transgressions." There was 
something very precious and consoling in that 
chapter, also something deeply mysterious and 
tragic in the thought of the innocent being 



46 



Soul Crises 



punished for the guilty. He could not understand 
it. However, he continued to read, "He is led 
as a lamb to the slaughter." 

Just then, he was accosted by the voice of a 
stranger, who in a friendly manner asked him if 
he knew what he was reading. He replied, "How 
can I except some man should guide me?" He in- 
vited Philip to come up and sit with him. The 
preacher was glad to be of service. When it 
comes to questions of this nature never hesitate to 
ask your minister, for we are your servants for 
Christ's sake. The eunuch said to Philip, "I pray 
thee of whom speaketh the prophet this?" 
Philip replied to the eunuch's question by 
preaching unto him Jesus. He related how the 
prophets had spoken of the sufferings of Christ, 
and the glory that should follow, told of the 
mighty promises, told how the Jews had been ex- 
pecting the Messiah. As these two men sat and 
talked, the growing wonder in the eyes of the one 
lent eloquence to the tongue of the other. And 
as Philip was enlarging upon the glory of Mes- 
siah's kingdom the eunuch grasped his arm, and 
asked, "Has He come?" O the pathos! the 
yearning behind those words, "Has He come?" 
In every age and in every country men have been 
looking and longing for some word of God; and 
you speak of the Messiah, but tell me this, "Has 
He come?" It was the unspeakable privilege of 
Philip to break the news to this seeking soul, that 
He of whom the prophets had spoken had come. 



Can Christ do Anything for Upright? 47 

Can you imagine the thrill of heavenly delight 
which quivered through the eunuch's frame? I 
tell you of a truth, that preacher and his auditor 
were being watched by the angels. O stupendous 
gospel! He has come! He, who is the bright- 
ness of the Father's glory, and the express image 
of His person. Hallelujah! He has come! 

The enchanted listener then urged Philip to de- 
scribe the Messiah. Can you conceive a sublimer 
task? Philip, to thee is given an opportunity an 
archangel might well be proud to embrace, to 
describe Jesus. We can sympathise with him in 
his dilemma for he is conscious of attempting an 
impossible task. 

Hear him as he cries, Where shall I begin? 
Shall I describe His face? His face baffles de- 
scription, but it beamed with divine compassion on 
the erring ones, it frowned upon the hypocrite 
and the oppressor. It was sought and worshipped 
by the children; it was so arresting in its expres- 
sion, that sinners, haunted by its strength and 
beauty, forsook their sins and followed Jesus. 

Shall I describe His hands? Those hands with 
which He laboured to support His widowed 
mother, those hands with which He touched blind 
eyes and restored sight, those hands with which 
He touched the bier and gave a young man back 
to his mother, those hands with which He touched 
the poor leper as He said, "I will, be thou clean." 
Shall I describe His feet? Those feet which 
trod on errands of mercy from the manger to the 



48 



Sold Crises 



cross. Jesus, my Lord, was betrayed; He was 
mocked and scourged. Base men struck Him in 
the face; and those hands and feet were pierced 
with spikes, and nailed to the cross. He was 
crowned with thorns and suspended to die, for sins 
not His own. Philip told of His death and burial, 
of how He rose again, and ascended to glory. 

The trembling eunuch gasped, "Is salvation of 
the Jews?" 

Philip hastened to inform him that the Chris- 
tian program embraced the world. There was 
salvation for all, for Jews and Ethiopians. Hav- 
ing the privilege of one for an audience, he 
preached a personal Saviour. Turning and facing 
the eunuch, Philip said, "Christ died for you. 
Do you believe it?" 

The eunuch replied, "I believe that Jesus Christ 
is the son of God." His response to the gospel 
message was immediate and his confession left 
nothing to be desired. "And seeing water the 
eunuch cried, 'What doth hinder me to be bap- 
tized?' " The chariot was brought to a standstill, 
and he was baptized. 

Have you believed on the Lord Jesus Christ? 
Then what is your next step? The probability is 
that you already have been baptized. Were you 
not brought to the font by believing and praying 
parents? They were faithful in teaching you the 
good and right way, and it may be they have 
passed from their place in the church visible, which 
as yet you have never joined. Why tarry? What 



Can Christ do Anything for Upright? 49 

doth hinder you to become a member of the body 
of Christ? Your life may be flawless, so was the 
eunuch's. But neither morality nor religion will 
save you. You need Christ, and Christ needs 
you. Without further delay identify yourself with 
His cause, and by your confession, your character, 
and conduct preach Jesus to others. 

Just a parting glance at these two men as they 
bid each other good-bye. After a most affection- 
ate farewell they separate to meet no more until 
they meet in heaven, but the Christian eunuch goes 
on his way rejoicing. No more heart-hunger ! 
No more anxiety! He need go no more on a pil- 
grimage to Jerusalem. With Peter he can say, 
''Lord, to whom shall we go? Thou hast the 
words of eternal life." ''He went on his way re- 
joicing." O Christ! how many Thou hast sent 
on their way rejoicing! Think you, this eunuch 
kept his religion a secret? No! He told the 
story o'er and o'er. Whenever he got an oppor- 
tunity he preached Jesus. "Go thou and do like- 
wise." 



CHAPTER IV 



WHAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN ! 
/ have flayed the fool.— I Sam. XXVI, 21. 

THIS is a remarkable expression, especially 
when we consider it as a man's verdict re- 
garding himself. As a rule man blames the other 
fellow for his folly and wherever circumstances 
will permit he endeavours to justify himself. 
Here is a man who has reached a crisis. He has 
made all the excuses available to shield himself 
and now acknowledges the part he has played. 
It is only fair to state that Saul was not always 
a fool. Billy Bray, the quaint Cornish preacher, 
said we had to become fools for Christ's sake and 
suggested some of us did not have much to learn 
in that direction as we were fairly big fools to 
begin with, but Saul was not one of these. 

Before you condemn any man take a compre- 
hensive survey of his life. Give him credit for 
all his good qualities, and then if he fails after 
giving promise of worthy achievement, it is a fear- 
ful reminder that the best of us have nothing to 
boast about, that we are only secure as we are 
kept by the power of God! In many respects 

50 



What Might Have Been! 



51 



Saul was a model young man. He was a type of 
the young man who takes everybody by storm. 
We are kindly disposed to the young and the fair 
at any time, but we are simply captivated when 
youth is as good as it is handsome. We are fav- 
oured with a description of Saul's personal ap- 
pearance in the second verse of the ninth chapter 
of the first book of Samuel. "Now there was a 
man of Benjamin, whose name was Kish, a mighty 
man of power. And he had a son whose name 
was Saul, a choice young man, and a goodly: and 
there was not among the children of Israel a good- 
lier person than he : from his shoulders upward 
he was higher than any of the people." Saul had 
a splendid physique. He was tall. 

It is the ambition of every healthy youth to be 
big, and Saul was one of nature's gentlemen. I 
suppose it is an advantage to be tall. Some of us, 
I have no doubt, once thought ourselves a good 
deal bigger than we are. We were somewhat 
consoled when we heard that there was many a big 
good-for-nothing. But a big good-for-nothing 
will not excuse a little good-for-nothing and of 
the two evils which would you choose ? It is quite 
natural to want to be fully as big, if not a little 
bigger than the average. God has put a divine 
aspiration in our hearts and the desire to be big 
springs from a longing to do a big work. God 
hath set eternity in the hearts of the sons of men 
and when we are true to the highest we cannot be 
satisfied with anything really small and superficial. 



52 



Soul Crises 



But we must not run away with the idea that tall- 
ness is always measured by inches. One day Na- 
poleon was reaching for a book which proved to 
be beyond his reach. An officer stepped up, 
reached the book and handed it to the Emperor, 
with the remark that sometimes it was a good 
thing to be tall. The Emperor indicated how 
stature was to be measured when he curtly re- 
plied "Longer not taller." Watts says: 

"Were I so tall to reach the pole, 
Or grasp the ocean in a span, 
Man must be measured by his soul 
The mind's the standard of the man." 

Size counts, no doubt, but mere bigness is not all, 
and in the final issue it is not what you can reach 
but what you can grasp. It is a good thing to be a 
physical giant, but a moral and spiritual giant is 
infinitely higher both in the sight of God and 
man. 

Saul was not merely tall in stature, he was also 
good-looking. He was decidedly attractive. He 
was the "beauty" or "ornament" of Israel, "a 
choice young man and a goodly, there was none 
goodlier than he." We all want to be good-look- 
ing, and if we are not blessed wuth a striking 
personal appearance, let us at least look as well as 
we can. How to appear to the best advantage 
seems to be the problem of some people's existence. 
We have our professional beautifiers who guar- 



What Might Have Been! 53 



antee to make us look several years younger than 
we really are, and if we are willing to submit to 
their treatment they can give us any complexion 
we may prefer. Appearance may have its merits, 
but a true man is not built for show. "Man look- 
eth at the outward appearance, but God looketh 
at the heart." Beauty of character is to be pre- 
ferred to beauty of feature and the beauty of 
holiness to the beauty of figure. If we were half 
so much concerned about our souls, as we are 
about the adornment of our bodies, we would cul- 
tivate a beauty that would not forsake us in our 
gray hairs. 

Saul was not only tall and attractive, he was 
obedient. It was his prompt obedience to his 
father's command that sent him on a trifling er- 
rand, but which in reality led him to the throne 
of Israel. Young men ! the most trifling duties in 
life will decide the success or failure of your ca- 
reer. It is an old-fashioned ethic which demands 
obedience to parents, but no wise man will say 
that it is out of date. Unless you learn the grace 
of obedience in your own home, there is trouble 
which may amount to disaster ahead of you. 

Besides being obedient, Saul was generous. 
When his servant suggested that in the city there 
was a man of God who could tell them the where- 
abouts of the asses which had strayed, and that 
they had better go to him, Saul hesitated, saying, 
"What shall we bring to the man? for the bread 
is spent in over vessels, and there is not a present 



54 



Soul Crises 



to bring to the man of God : what have we ?" And 
it was only when his servant assured him that 
there was the fourth part of a shekel of silver 
left, that Saul consented to go. 

A generous youth always appeals to us, and as 
a rule he has many friends. I was not at all sur- 
prised when I read of Henry Ward Beecher's say- 
ing to the students of Yale University that a mean 
man never made a successful minister, and his 
saying may be applied to every honourable calling 
in life. Generosity is a pleasing feature in a 
young man's character, but unless it is directed and 
controlled by the grace of God, it may lead to 
extravagance and indulgence. 

Finally, Saul was modest. This is a virtue few 
of us suffer from to any great extent. When 
Samuel the prophet said to Saul, "And on whom is 
all the desire of Israel? Is it not on thee and on 
all thy father's house?" 

Saul answered and said, "Am not I a Benjamite, 
of the smallest of the tribes of Israel? and my 
family the least of all the families of the tribe of 
Benjamin? Wherefore then speakest thou so to 
me?" Humility and reverence are graces we 
should strive to cultivate. The instructor does 
not like the pupil who will not be told. A mer- 
chant has very little use for the apprentice who 
thinks he knows the business better in a week than 
he does himself. Nobody has much use for tEe 
man who seeks to impress upon all and sundry, 
that he knows it all. We are all learners, and al- 



What Might Have Been! 



55 



though we may think that our heads are crammed 
full of knowledge, our heads are not so very big 
after all. One of the first signs of knowledge is 
a consciousness of our own ignorance. Modesty 
becomes us all, and so does reverence. Look at 
Saul as he reverently kneels before the prophet 
while that august person pours the anointing oil 
upon his head and consecrates him king. It is a 
beautiful sight, and as we gaze upon it do we not 
feel that we owe reverence to those who are en- 
deavouring to prepare us for our kingdom? We 
owe a debt of gratitude to the prophets who have 
assisted in anointing us for our life's work, to our 
parents, to our teachers, and to our masters. 
Therefore do not try to find fault with them. 
Recognize and appreciate their good qualities, 
their regard for you, their patience with you, and 
their oftentimes thankless task. 

Now that we have got better acquainted with 
Saul we begin to entertain high hopes for his fu- 
ture. There he stands ! a big, handsome generous- 
hearted fellow, an obedient son, a worthy citizen, 
and crowned with the majesty of modesty. There 
he stands ! the young man upon whom the Divine 
choice has fallen, in whom so many hopes are 
centred, and who is to enjoy the unspeakable privi- 
lege of leading the soldiers of God on to victory. 
Yes, there he stands, as many young men stand 
to-day, ready to begin to sow upon the field of 
time, while sympathetic onlookers, some with anx- 
ious hearts, are wondering what the harvest will 



S6 



Soul Crises 



be. If ever any one made a good start Saul did. 
He was admirably adapted to his work, and he 
made a most promising beginning. His first battle 
was prophetic of a triumphant reign. "Nahash 
the Ammonite came up, and encamped against 
Jabesh Gilead: and all the men of Jabesh said 
unto Nahash, make a covenant with us, and we 
will serve thee. And Nahash the Ammonite an- 
swered them, 'On this condition will I make a cov- 
enant with you, that I may thrust out all your 
right eyes, and lay it for a reproach upon all 
Israel.* And the elders of Jabesh said unto him, 
'Give us seven days' respite, that we may send 
messengers unto all the coasts of Israel : and then, 
if there be no man to save us, we will come out to 
thee.' " These messengers were despatched; they 
informed the people, and the people lifted up their 
voices and wept. "And, behold, Saul came after 
the herd out of the field; and said, 'What aileth 
the people that they weep?' And they told him 
the tidings of the men of Jabesh. And the Spirit 
of God came upon Saul when he heard those tid- 
ings, and his anger was kindled greatly. And he 
took the yoke of oxen, and hewed them in pieces, 
and sent them throughout all the coasts of Israel 
by the hands of messengers saying, 'Whosoever 
Cometh not forth after Saul and after Samuel, so 
shall it be done unto his oxen.' And the fear of 
the Lord fell on the people, and they came out 
as with one consent." 

How inspiring to read of Saul's preparations 



What Might Have Been! 



57 



for his first encounter with the enemy ! He acted 
so promptly and so gloriously that he proved him- 
self a king, both by nature and by grace. With- 
out the slightest hesitation he showed that he was 
master of the occasion; and unconsciously lie made 
such a display of the essential elements of leader- 
ship that the Israelites were swept into the ranks 
as one man. And with such a leader in such a 
cause no wonder he faced, and fought, and utterly 
routed the foe. So far Saul has been all that we 
could reasonably desire. He has displayed his 
genius as a citizen, as a soldier, and as a king. 
We are somewhat bewildered to think that a ca- 
reer so full of promise should eventually close in 
such a tragic manner. 

But when we look into his history a little more 
closely we see where he made his first mistake. 
In the celebration of this victory over the Am- 
monites, ''Saul and the men of Israel rejoiced 
greatly." Here we have the first intimation of 
his spiritual pride. From that day forth Saul was 
bigger in his own eyes, and perhaps he never read 
the words, "Pride goeth before a fall." 

Young men, amid your most brilHant achieve- 
ments remember to whom you are indebted for 
your gifts, and strive earnestly to cultivate the 
spirit of gratitude and meekness. "Who maketh 
thee to differ from another? And what has thou 
that thou did'st not receive?" When success is 
crowning your efforts it is a time to rejoice with 
trembling. Saul had been faithfully warned by 



58 



Soul Crises 



the prophet that if he did wickedly, he would be 
consumed, and warned we all have been. 

What was the first step taken by Saul on the 
downgrade? Impatience. A garrison of Philis- 
tines had advanced as far as Geba. Jonathan 
smote them, and to avenge themselves the Philis- 
tines came against Israel in full force, and were 
as the sand upon the sea shore for multitude. 
Samuel instructed Saul to wait 'for seven days, 
when he would come and offer sacrifice. On this 
occasion Saul revealed his real character: self-will, 
impatience, and disobedience. He waited until the 
morning of the seventh day, and seeing no sign 
of the prophet, took on himself the awful respon- 
sibilit}^ of offering the sacrifice. He had just made 
an end of offering when Samuel arrived, saying, 
"What hast thou done ?" Saul endeavoured to jus- 
tify himself but the prophet replied, "Thou hast 
done foolishly: thou hast not kept the command- 
ment of the Lord thy God, which He commanded 
thee : for now would He have estabhshed thy king- 
dom upon Israel for ever. But now thy kingdom 
shall not continue." Had Saul waited another 
hour or two he wouFd have saved his kingdom to 
his sons in their successive generations. 

Alas ! how much we lose by our impatience. 
What other sin is so rampant to-day? Impa- 
tience is one of the outstanding sins of our time? 
Everybody is in a hurry, we have to rush through 
with everything we undertake to do, we are getting 
impatient of abiding God's time, and so, like Saul, 



What Might Have Been! 



59 



we sacrifice principle for expediency, and risk our 
souls for gain. Impatience is the secret of gam- 
bling. Men are too impatient to acquire gain by 
legitimate methods, and so seek quick returns on 
the wheel of chance. Many a young man plays 
his cards well for a while, according to his own 
notion, but no matter how well he plays, sooner 
or later, he will acknowledge, as those unnatural 
fires consume his manhood, that he has played 
the fool. 

Impatience is the secret of the hquor traffic. 
Think you that the liquor dealer is in the business 
because he is actuated by philanthropic motives? 
An eye-witness related to me the following inci- 
dent. A certain man was drinking one evening in 
a bar-room. It was getting late when a woman 
entered, and going up to the man she asked Tiim 
for some money to buy food for their starving 
children. Her husband turned around and for 
answer, deliberately struck his wife in the face, 
knocking her senseless to the floor. The hotel 
proprietor came rushing in, and seeing the woman, 
the wife of that husband and father, who had been 
transformed into a demon through drink, that 
mother of starving children in a land boasting of 
civilization and liberty, that poor half-starved 
creature lying in that condition on the floor, and 
looking at the men present who were patroniz- 
ing the bar, he said, "This is awful boys, but 
there's money in it." 

Young man, if there is money in it for the pro- 



6o 



Soul Crises 



prietor what is there in it for you? Indulgence, 
pauperism, and possibly the gallows, or a drunk- 
ard's grave. Can it be that the prophecy is being 
fulfilled in your case which reads, "The fool and 
his money are soon parted?" 

If we yield to the temptation to become impa- 
tient of honesty and integrity in seeking a liveli- 
hood, and pay too big a price for success, in the 
midst of our questionable gains, we will hear a 
voice saying, "Thou fool, this night thy soul shall 
be required of thee." 

God gave Saul another splendid opportunity of 
redeeming his character, but in this he failed 
through disobedience. The command was, go and 
utterly destroy the Amalekites. Saul went in 
obedience to this command, and destroyed the 
Amalekites with the exception of the king and the 
best of the sheep and oxen. "And Samuel came 
to Saul: and Saul said unto him, 'Blessed be thou 
of the Lord; I have performed the commandment 
of the Lord.' And Samuel said, 'What meaneth 
then this bleating of the sheep in mine ears, and 
the lowing of the oxen which I hear?' " Again 
Saul sought to excuse himself and to blame the 
people for the spoil. The prophet was not to be 
silenced by Saul's excuses. In solemn tones he 
replied, "Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice. 
Because thou hast rejected the word of the Lord, 
He also hath rejected thee from being king." 
When Saul heard the worst he acknowledged 
the cause of his failure, and said, "I have 



What Might Have Been! 6i 



sinned: because I feared the people, and obeyed 
their voice." 

Like many to-day, Saul feared the people more 
than he feared God. Through disobedience he 
won a flock of sheep and a herd of cattle, but at 
what a price ! In the moral realm, every man pays 
the price. The price Saul paid was his kingdom, 
and in that awful transaction he lost his God. 
Here we have a concrete illustration of sin in its 
working. Progress is made along "a way that 
seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are 
the ways of death." At the point of departure 
from the path of righteousness, we discern the 
unmistakable features of pride, this leads to im- 
patience, impatience of piety, impatience of hon- 
esty, impatience of conscientious scruples, and this 
prepares the way for disobedience to God and 
every accepted standard of right. The man who 
has been playing with evil is like Saul who "wFst 
not that the Spirit of the Lord had departed from 
him." 

Having sinned away his day of grace, Saul, 
who had been distinguished Tor his generous cour- 
age, stands subdued before the uncircumcised 
Philistine, Goliath of Gath. Daily this haughty 
heretic comes forth to defy the armies of the liv- 
ing God. What a sorry part is now being played 
by a man who had once been a hero! A man 
who had once faced a crisis in a terrible might, 
and without waiting to ask the reason why, had 
hewed his oxen to pieces, sent portions through- 



62 



Soul Crises 



out Israel, had raised his army as if by magic, 
had struck terror into the hearts of the Ammon- 
ites, and now, to be brow-beaten and intimidated 
by a single Philistine must be mortifying in the 
extreme. It would be a farce were it not the 
story of a great moral tragedy. Is there none to 
be found in the ranks of the regulars to take away 
this reproach? No! not one. The uncertain de- 
meanor of the handsome giant of Israel has had 
a deadly effect upon every man on the field. 

To save the day, God sends forth a young man 
after His own heart. The youngest son of Jesse, 
the ruddy shepherd youth who has been sent with 
supplies to the ranks, and who has not yet learned 
to doubt the might of God, goes against the Philis- 
tine, and smites him dead with a stone from his 
sling. For this deliverance David is praised by 
the maidens of Israel who celebrate the victory by 
singing, *'Saul hath slain his thousands and David 
his ten thousands." This popular recognition of 
David's achievement enrages the jealous Saul, and 
he secretly determines to take David's life, and 
thus cheat Providence by disposing of all possible 
rivals. An evil spirit came upon Saul and at 
times he was insane. He attempts to take David's 
life, but David escapes; and can you imagine any- 
thing quite so tragic as the insane Saul on a fool's 
errand, seeking to slay the Lord's anointed? 

Many are on the same errand to-day. "Fret 
not thyself because of evil doers." Some of us 
fret a great deal and are daily kept in bondage. 



What Might Have Been! 



63 



Even David said, "One of these days I shall fall 
by the hand of Saul." No, David! thou art re- 
served for something great ! and you poor annoyed 
soul, if it hath pleased God to reveal His son in 
you, He has a work for you to do; and by fret- 
ting yourself because of evil doers, you may be 
unfitting yourself for your divinely appointed task. 

It was on one of these escapades against the 
innocent and unoffending David that the pursued 
came upon the pursuer. David caught Saul and 
his followers asleep and his servant urged him to 
smite, but David said, "The Lord forbid that I 
should stretch forth mine hand against the Lord's 
anointed: but, take now the spear that is at his 
bolster, and the cruse of water, and let us go." 
David withdrew and waited; and when Saul and 
his soldiers came forth he cried to Abner and 
Saul knew his voice. David lifting up the king's 
spear asked what evil he had done. And Saul 
smitten with a sense of shame cried, "I have 
sinned: return, my son David; for I will no more 
do thee harm, because my soul was precious in 
thine eyes this day: behold, I have played the fool, 
and have erred exceedingly." 

Saul, thou art near to a more enduring kingdom 
than the one thou hast lost! Thou hast never 
been nearer the fulfilment of the majestic prom- 
ise of thy youth than thou art now ! How near to 
repentance unto life, and yet how far! 

We have to pass over much that is interesting. 
We cannot spend his last night with him. But 



64 



Soul Crises 



where will you find a sadder story of a soul that 
has made shipwreck of faith and of a good con- 
science than that which relates how poor, godless, 
wretched Saul, mad with despair, flung himself 
upon his bloody sword, and died the death of a 
suicide? Poor Saul! He played the fool in his 
life, and crowned his folly by dying as the fool 
dieth. As a warning to others write upon his 
tombstone, "I have played the fool." 

Usually a man plays the fool a long time be- 
fore he knows it. In fact, he thinks he is smart 
and getting ahead of everybody, he carries him- 
self with a self-satisfied air, when, all unknown to 
nobody but himself, he is playing the fool. A 
man plays the fool a long time before he will ac- 
knowledge it. His usual plea is, ^'I see no harm 
in it, the company is congenial, and I am no fool." 
Eventually with all his fine parts, in the face of 
murdered opportunities and a wasted frame he 
cries, "I have played the fool." 

The once mighty and majestic Saul has fallen, 
and mourn for him as we may, we cannot bring 
him back to play his part again. We pass this 
way but once. What's done cannot be undone. 
The one redeeming feature in this dark picture 
is that the people of Jabesh-Gilead remembered 
Saul as they knew him, the victorious monarch. 
They rescued his body from the Philistines and 
buried him with every token of reverence and re- 
spect. What a different career Saul's might have 
been. O that he had been true ! But all our 



What Might Have Been! 



65 



wishes avail nothing. There is one wish we have, 
however, we wish he had not been such a fool as to 
think he could cheat God. What part are you 
playing? 



CHAPTER V 



A PRESENT CRISIS 

What shall I do then ivith Jesus which is called Christ? — 
Matt. XXVII, 22. 

THE scene to which we are introduced by the 
words of our text did not have much more 
than a local significance when it was enacted, but 
time has proved it to be one of the most significant 
dramas ever played upon the stage of history. 
Jesus stands in the open court of the governor's 
palace in the presence of Pilate and His accusers. 
He has been tried by His fellow countrymen, and 
in their judgment found worthy of death. The 
charges brought against Him had been of too 
flimsy a nature, even to satisfy a bigoted Jewish 
tribunal. False witnesses had been engaged to 
swear away His life, but they utterly failed in 
their undertaking. After hearing several wit- 
nesses the high priest said unto Him, " 'I adjure 
thee by the living God, that thou tell us whether 
thou be the Christ, the Son of God.' 

"Jesus saith unto him, 'Thou hast said: never- 
theless I say unto you. Hereafter shall ye see the 
Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, 
and coming in the clouds of heaven.' 

66 



A Present Crisis 



67 



"Then the high priest rent his clothes, saying, 
'He hath spoken blasphemy; what further need 
have we of witnesses? behold, now ye have heard 
this blasphemy. What think ye?' 

"They answered and said, 'He is guilty of 
death.' 

After suffering shameful treatment at the hands 
of these chosen people in which they spit in His 
face and smite Him with their hands saying, 
"Prophesy unto us, thou Christ, Who is he that 
smote thee?" He was brought into the presence 
of Pilate to have their decision confirmed. There 
He stands before Pilate awaiting his judgment I 
As we gaze upon the scene we cannot help feeling 
it is a solemn moment for Christ. It is an anxious 
time when a man stands in a court of law awaiting 
the decision of the judge respecting a minor of- 
fence, but what must it be to the man just prior 
to the pronouncement of the sentence when life 
and death are hanging in the balance? There was 
nothing very exceptional in the circumstances of 
this trial. Those interested, as on similar occa- 
sions, sought to make the most of their side of the 
situation. Often before, Pilate had heard their 
arguments, had pronounced judgment, and dis- 
missed these troublesome Jews without a serious 
thought. To show his utter disregard for what 
the Jews termed holy ground he once issued or- 
ders for the execution of certain disturbers of the 
peace whose blood he mingled with their sacrifices 
without a qualm of conscience. 



68 



Soul Crises 



But there is no gainsaying the fact that he is 
ill at ease to-day. What accounts for this change 
in Pilate as he sits in circumstances so familiar? 
Merely the difference of a few details. The first 
of these is the demeanor of the prisoner. This 
prisoner is in a class by Himself. Other prison- 
ers acted so differently. Invariably they sought 
to justify themselves, while this prisoner is calm 
and resigned. There is such a look of gentleness 
in His features ; and He is so dignified in His bear- 
ing as to make Pilate feel uncomfortable. This 
was a new feeling for Pilate. Yesterday he was a 
big man : the man of the hour; a man in authority ; 
the Roman procurator; a dread force to be reck- 
oned with — one whose words made men tremble, 
but to-day he feels weak and uncertain in the pres- 
ence of this poor, despised, lonely man. Never 
before had he seen such a prisoner as this. He 
had often seen prisoners show their teeth, and 
vow vengeance on their tormentors, but this pris- 
oner is so different. 

Pilate thinks, and the more he thinks the more 
he hesitates. Presently a happy thought strikes 
him. It was customary at the feast to release a 
prisoner whom the people desired. In prison lay 
a notable outlaw who had been guilty of murder. 
Here was Pilate's opportunity to get out of a diffi- 
cult situation; and believing they would choose 
Christ he cried, "Whom will ye that I release 
unto you? Barabbas, or Jesus, which is called 
Christ?" At this juncture he received a message 



A Present Crisis 



69 



from his wife saying, "Have thou nothing to do 
with that just man: for I have suffered many 
things this day in a dream because of Him." A 
dream! What did he care for a dream? At any 
other time he would have laughed at a dream and 
ignored it, but to-day he cannot act like himself at 
all. Try as he will he cannot suppress the tumult 
raging within. What are these misgivings and 
these warnings? And what do they signify? For 
I am not naturally superstitious : and with these 
thoughts in his mind he calls again to the people, 
"Whether of the twain will ye that I release unto 
you?" And to his dismay they choose Barabbas. 
Then in reply to their choice he cries, "What shall 
I do then with Jesus which is called Christ?" And 
the people persuaded by the priests answer, "Cru- 
cify Him." 

This request startled the already perplexed and 
hesitating Pilate. This was the first time the Jew^ 
had requested that one of their countrymen should 
be degraded by such a shameful death. Pilate 
took the prisoner behind, and in a short time re- 
turned, saying, "I find no fault in Him." This 
led the mob which was reaching the height of its 
frenzy to yell in louder strains, "Away with Him, 
away with Him, crucify Him." And as a final rea- 
son they cried, "We have a law, and by our law 
He ought to die, because He made Himself the 
Son of God." Pilate hearing this charge was the 
more afraid. Thinking that he might reach a 
satisfactory conclusion of this event which is deep- 



70 



Soul Crises 



ening into tragedy he takes his prisoner again into 
the judgment hall. Here, behind the scenes, there 
is no apology, no passionate pleading for His life 
on the part of the prisoner, and what Pilate 
wanted above everything else was for this strange 
man to speak. When shall we learn the eloquence 
of silence? Pilate said, "Hearest thou not how 
many things they witness against thee?" And He 
answered him not a word. This intensified Pi- 
late's anxiety and making a supreme effort to re- 
assert himself he said, "Speakest thou not unto 
me? Knowest thou not that I have power to 
crucify thee, and have power to release thee?" 

Jesus answered, ^'Thou couldest have no power 
at all against me, except it were given thee from 
above." The scene has taken a dramatic turn. It 
is not now Christ standing before Pilate, it is Pi- 
late before Christ. It is Pilate who is being 
judged and he finds that the question he has just 
asked the multitude expresses his deepest thought : 

''What shall I do then with Jesus which is 
called Christ?" That was a solemn moment for 
Pilate ! This is a solemn moment for you ! In 
a more real sense than you are aware your decision 
during this hour will decide your destiny. "What 
shall I do then with Jesus which is called Christ?" 
This is a living question. It is a question which 
demands our deliberate and reverent attention. A 
more real question could not occupy our thoughts. 
The answer to this question more than any other 
has stood for the rise and fall of nations. In 



A Present Crisis 



71 



getting Pilate to grant their request to crucify 
Christ the Jews thereby thought to destroy Him, 
but the crucified Christ was not destroyed. What 
His enemies did with Him to end Him was really 
the starting point of a momentous power, a.power 
that has changed the current of the world's history 
and still governs the ages. Christ and Him cruci- 
fied is the master force in history. He is the 
supreme commander of the world's forces to-day. 
We find Him everywhere and try as we may we 
are compelled to acknowledge Him the unavoid- 
able Christ. As Dr. W. J. Dawson has suggested, 
"We met Him at our feasts, in our temples, in 
our streets, in our fields, among our law-makers, 
over against our treasuries, in our homes, among 
our children, at the burial of our dead." ^ Jesus 
is the most real person that we meet and the words 
of Pilate have become a National Question. 
"^¥hat shall I do then with Jesus which is called 
Christ?" The very existence of nations depends 
upon their attitude to this question. 

It was so with the Jews. They had privileges 
beyond compare. To them Christ came. To 
them He preached. Among them He laboured. 
In Galilee and Judea He was a familiar figure as 
He went about doing good, healing the sick, re- 
storing the blind to sight, and raising the dead. 
He taught them as one having authority, and not 
as the scribes. He lavished His love upon them, 
and pleaded with them, but in spite of His love 

^ The Evangelistic Note. 



72 



Soul Crises 



and compassion they rejected Him. That nation 
with a unique past, boasting a succession of elders 
and prophets who through faith had subdued king- 
doms and wrought righteousness, stopped the 
mouths of Hons and quenched the violence of fire : 
these, the children of the prophets, knew not the 
time of their visitation. As our Lord neared the 
city of Jerusalem, — Jerusalem once so renowned 
for her valiant sons, sitting secure as a queen 
among the nations, Jerusalem, extolled for her 
zeal and devotion to God, once the joy of the 
whole earth, — how did He view it? His view 
of it is given in one of the most pathetic passages 
in literature. "When He beheld the city He wept 
over it, saying, Tf thou hadst known, even thou, 
at least in this thy day, the things which belong 
unto thy peace ! but now they are hid from thine 
eyes. For the days shall come upon thee, that 
thine enemies shall cast a trench about thee, and 
compass thee round, and keep thee in on every 
side, and shall lay thee even with the ground, 
and thy children within thee; and they shall not 
leave in thee one stone upon another; because thou 
knewest not the time of thy visitation.' " 

Jerusalem wrote her doom in human gore when 
she cried, "His blood be on us, and on our chil- 
dren." To-day the Jew is an outcast in the earth. 
He indeed is a man without a country; an exile 
from his native land. 

What was true of the Jews was also true of the 
Greeks. As we study Plato's philosophy and read 



A Present Crisis 



73 



his Ideal State, we marvel at the range and grasp 
of his briUiant mind. We hardly can refrain from 
thinking that an Empire with such sons would 
impress and triumph over surrounding nations, and 
continue her march until she had completed the 
conquest of the world. But Greece was only as 
brilliant as she was short-lived, and how fearfully 
true are the words when applied to her, *'The 
world by wisdom knew not God." When St. Paul 
came into contact on Mars Hill with some of the 
sons of Greece who spent their time in nothing 
else, but either to tell or hear some new thing, 
they listened to him, but when they learned that 
his gospel was Christ and Him crucified, some 
mocked. Yet who will deny that Paul was preach- 
ing a gospel of which he need never be ashamed? 

It was not Greece, however, but Rome, that 
was brought face to face with the question "What 
shall I do then with Jesus which is called Christ?" 
Rome decided to crucify Him afresh, and to oblit- 
erate every reference to His name. War was de- 
clared on the Christians, and by a series of dire 
persecutions Rome did her utmost to crush the 
cause of the Nazarene. Although it meant 
penury, suffering, and death in its most revolting 
forms, thousands gladly laid down their lives, and 
eventually Christ conquered. The imperial might 
of Rome was impotent before the constraining 
love of Christ. And what shall we say more? 
Western civilization owes its victories to "Jesus 
which is called Christ." The most superficial ob- 



74 



Soul Crises 



server cannot fail to see that those nations which 
have risen from obscurity to power are those 
which have embraced Christianity. We talk very 
eloquently to-day about education and politics ; and 
in the estimation of some these and not religion 
are the important questions. But the great proba- 
bility is, that if we had had no Christianity there 
would be no education or civil rights of any Avorthy 
character. Who has given us our educational 
and moral standards? "Jesus which is called 
Christ." 

When we begin to consider our statesmen, we 
find ourselves not so much concerned about what 
they have said as what they have done, not so 
much which party do they represent, as what do 
they stand for? Have they the best interests of 
their fellows at heart? Do they stand for justice 
and humanity: and before we are aware of it we 
are asking our statesmen what they are going to do 
with "Jesus which is called Christ"? Only by 
the recognition and application of Christian prin- 
ciples can modern nations hope to go on prosper- 
ing. We belong to a nation of which we have 
every reason to be proud, and may we as loyal citi- 
zens from the least to the greatest take up the 
resolution of Abraham Lincoln, that prince among 
Christian statesmen. When the Civil War was 
raging a man said to him, "I hope God will be on 
our side." 

"Sir," said Lincoln, "I have never yet asked 
myself whether God was on my side or not, but I 



A Present Crisis 



75 



tell you what, sir, I am determined to be on God's 
side." 1 

"What shall I do then with Jesus which is called 
Christ?" This is a Commercial Question. Some 
of you may be shocked at the idea of any one 
talking about commerce in a religious service. We 
have talked too long as though Christianity were 
for the Sabbath day, something to be laid care- 
fully away with our Sunday clothes, too delicate to 
stand the wear and tear of every-day life. Un- 
less Christian principles are introduced into com- 
mercial circles and practised in commercial life 
we may despair of national salvation, to say noth- 
ing of the salvation of the world. If you are not 
a better business man, more conscientious, fully 
trustworthy, deviating neither to the right hand 
nor to the left, because you are a Christian, then, 
in reality, you never have known Christ, or you 
have decided against Him, and voted for the re- 
lease of Barabbas. How exceeding sinful and 
shortsighted people are who prefer Barabbas to 
Christ! How humiliating it is, in this the twen- 
tieth century to have to confess that Barrabas is 
still at large. Barabbas is a robber, it is his na- 
ture to take, and, given an opportunity, he will re- 
lieve you of all you possess. Christ gives and 
from an economic standpoint, if from no higher, 
you will one day acknowledge that "Godliness is 
profitable unto all things having the promise of the 
life that now is, and of that which is to come." 

^ The Divine Challenge. 



76 



Soul Crises 



Whether you realize it or not, Jesus stands beside 
you as you work. He is near you as you buy and 
sell and get gain. And often He speaks to you 
and endeavours to ascertain what is going to be 
the end of all your efforts. "Take heed and be- 
ware of covetousness for a man's life consisteth 
not in the abundance of the things which he pos- 
sesseth." "Man shall not Hve by bread alone, but 
by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth 
of God." May all our commercial enterprises be 
so conducted as to be an aid and not a hindrance, 
to the development of Christian character. 

"What shall I do then with Jesus which is called 
Christ?" This is a Domestic Question. All who 
can speak from experience will bear witness that 
one of the grandest institutions we enjoy is the 
Christian home. Many a young man has wan- 
dered far astray, and as he wanders in the far 
country of sin he is indifferent to many calls, but 
there is one song he cannot listen to with indif- 
ference. It is "Home, sweet Home." What has 
Christ done for our homes? What has He done 
for Father? He has given him a father's heart 
and made him like work. We speak to-day, and 
rightly so, of the dignity of labour. We recog- 
nize the ennobling nature and influence of honest 
toil, but lest we forget that it is something com- 
paratively new for men to regard manual labour 
favorably, I wish to remind you that when Plato 
wrote his Ideal State it never crossed his mind 
that a state could exist without slavery. Work 



A Present Crisis 



77 



was fit only for slaves. Slaves were regarded as 
beings of an inferior order, and treated accord- 
ingly. A Roman could torture his slave and put 
him to death and no one asked the reason. To- 
day slavery has been abolished, and labour upon 
which the Roman looked down with disdain is hon- 
oured and appreciated. Every respectable man 
is employed; when he finds his right sphere he 
enjoys his work, and when the day's work is done 
there is a smiling welcome home. 

What has Christ done for Mother? Mother! 
one of the dearest names in our language. Can 
we imagine what mothers have suffered, and how 
they have been degraded? Even to-day in heathen 
lands the mother is regarded as a being without 
a soul, and is treated with the indignity of a slave. 
In Christian lands, woman is not merely respected 
but revered, and she takes her place, by his side, 
as the helpmeet of man. As we value the love 
and care of our mothers, let us remember that 
we owe it to Christ. 

What has Christ done for the child? In the 
days of His flesh, Jesus took a little child and 
set him in the midst. There he stands to-day. 
For him we live, for him we toil, for him we pray. 
In Rome a father could put his child to death and 
no one asked any questions, but Jesus said, "Suf- 
fer the little children to come unto Me, for of such 
is the kingdom of heaven." 

Fathers! Mothers! Sons! and Daughters! you 
have heard a little of what Christ has done for 



78 



Soul Crises 



your homes. Then what are you going to do with 
"Jesus which is called Christ"? Is He a guest in 
your home? Does He share its joys and its sor- 
rows? Can you imagine a more sublime sight 
than that of every member in the home kneeling 
around the family altar, as the father prays, 
"Behold me, and the children whom Thou hast 
given me?" Is yours a Christian home? 

Finally this is an Individual Question. "What 
shall I do then with Jesus which is called Christ?" 
What was the cause of Pilate's failure? Nothing 
more or less than public opinion, the fear of man; 
he was afraid of the crowd. Once again Jesus 
stands in the hall of judgment, not in Jerusalem, 
but at the bar of your conscience, and Pilate's 
question faces you. What are you going to do 
with it? Did you say you were going to laugh it 
off? Exercise a care lest you laugh and ignore 
this question until it is too late. God has given 
His best to save you from sin to hohness, and if 
you trample underfoot the blood of Christ the day 
may come when "He that sitteth in the heavens 
shall laugh." Like Pilate, Jesus is left on your 
hands. The question is not, am I a church mem- 
ber? or am I religious? the question is "What 
shall I do with Jesus?" It is to be feared that 
to some religious people Christ will say, "Depart 
from Me, I never knew you, ye workers of in- 
iquity." If your pleasures are of such a nature 
as to come between you and Christ, what are you 
going to do with Jesus? Will you by your actions 



A Present Crisis 



79 



crucify Christ afresh and cling to your sinful pleas- 
ure? It is not, what language shall we employ 
to express our contempt, our utter loathing for 
Pilate, as he stands hesitating and endeavouring 
to shirk his responsibility, and then against his 
better judgment faUing miserably down and yield- 
ing to the request of an insane mob. The ques- 
tion which will be a savour of life unto life or of 
death unto death for you to decide now is, "What 
shall I do then with Jesus which is called Christ?'* 



CHAPTER VI 



AN URGENT CALL 

And as Jesus passed forth from thence, He saiv a man named 
Matthenv, sitting at the receipt of custom: and He saith unto 
him, "Folloiv Me." And he arose and followed Him. — Matt. 
IX, 9. 

IN our text we see our Lord on His way from 
one preaching service to another. Before go- 
ing down from Capernaum to the sea-shore, He 
conducted a most inspiring service in a house in 
the city. What made this service so inspiring? 
As we consider the outstanding features of a good 
service, we acknowledge several answers might 
be given to this question. The service might have 
been inspiring because of the Preacher. It is al- 
ways inspiring to hear a really great preacher, but 
what must it have been to hear Jesus preaching 
the gospel of the kingdom? The service might 
have been inspiring because it was well-attendeJ. 
The attendance was large. The place was simply 
crowded; standing room was at a premium. A 
good congregation is always inspiring to a preach- 
er, and while our Lord's inspiration did not de- 
pend on large congregations, we have reason to 
believe, He was greatly encouraged by the pres- 

80 



An Urgent Call 



8i 



ence of so many people desirous of hearing a mes- 
sage from God. The service might have been 
inspiring because it was so representative. All 
classes were represented from the holy Pharisee 
to the despised Publican; and whether they be- 
lieved or rejected the message, they heard it. 
They would, in all probability, speak of it to their 
friends, and to have "an Hebrew of the Hebrews" 
become a disciple would be a most inspiring 
achievement. 

As a matter of fact, the service was inspiring 
because of an incident which occurred when it 
was in progress. Four men came carrying a friend 
on a mattress who was sick of the palsy. They 
sought admission by the doorway in vain. But 
nothing daunted they ascended to the roof of the 
house by the outside stairs, made an opening and 
lowered their friend through just in front of the 
Lord Jesus as He was preaching. If you and I 
had been in that congregation when those men 
began to break up the roof we would have been 
greatly annoyed. Perhaps it did annoy some of 
His hearers, but it did not annoy Christ. It was 
rather an alarming mode of procedure, and we 
can see the angry glances cast at these men, but 
not a word of rebuke from the Preacher. Where 
others saw men disturbing a religious service, 
"Jesus saw their faith." These men were in earn- 
est, they dared to do the unusual to get to Christ. 
The sick man was healed of his infirmity, his sins 
were forgiven him, and what looked like spoiling 



82 



Soul Crises 



the service was the means of making it most in- 
spiring for "immediately he arose, took up his bed, 
and went forth before them all: insomuch that 
they were all amazed and glorified God, saying, 
We never saw it on this fashion.' " 

Turning from such an inspiring service to watch 
the Preacher go down to the sea-shore seems very 
trivial indeed, but it may be worth while. "And 
as Jesus passed forth from thence He saw." To 
me, it is of surpassing interest to learn what Jesus 
saw, both in and out of His services. The modern 
preacher on his way from one preaching service to 
another would probably see nothing of interest 
except his notes, but Jesus used His eyes. To Him 
the path from one service to another was full of 
possibilities. He was interested in everything that 
had any bearing upon His work. He saw the dia- 
mond in the rough. He saw promise and possi- 
bilities where others saw only the degraded and 
the outcast. "And as Jesus passed forth from 
thence He saw a man." There is nothing very re- 
markable in that. It would be nothing new to see 
a man between Capernaum and the sea-shore. 
When we go down to the sea-shore we are so self- 
centered that men appear to us as so many things, 
varying in importance as they contribute to our 
pleasure or comfort. But Jesus was not on a pleas- 
ure trip, He did not go down to the sea-shore for 
the good of His health. He went down to the sea- 
shore because it was a good place to preach, and 
as He went down "He saw a man." 



An Urgent Call 83 



It would be interesting to know what His pros- 
pective audience saw. Like them we probably 
would have been attracted by the amount of busi- 
ness being transacted at the toll-booth, or inter- 
ested in the foreigners who were paying their 
dues, before passing along the great commercial 
highway. We might have remarked upon the 
well-filled money bags, or the money stored up in 
sight, but Jesus saw a man. He was not inter- 
ested in the money in the toll-booth. He saw 
something more precious than all the gold in the 
Indies, He saw a man ! We might have been ex- 
cited by the crowd, but Jesus concentrated His 
gaze on a man. We talk about the masses, of so- 
ciety, of the classes, and of requiring so many 
hands to run the machinery of the world, but in 
spite of our distinctions Jesus sees men. He looks 
at the individuals. He sees a man in a crowd. 
He knows His man when He sees him, and in 
spite of adverse appearances He never makes a 
mistake. If we had been with Jesus as He went 
from the city down to the sea-shore and He had 
said to us, "I am looking for a man who will write 
the first gospel," we would have said, "Lord! We 
don't doubt your genius, but, in our opinion, you 
need not look there. The Publicans have a hard 
name, and generally speaking, they have a bad 
reputation. No ! Lord, the toll-booth is not the 
place to look." Yes! We could have given sev- 
eral arguments against the probability of finding a 
suitable person there. But Jesus looked and "saw 



84 



Soul Crises 



cL man named Matthew, sitting at the receipt of 
custom, and He saith unto him, 'Follow Me.' And 
he arose and followed Him." That man wrote 
the gospel which bears his name. 

Let us take a look at the circumstances under 
which Jesus found him. He was sitting at the re- 
ceipt of custom. "Along the north end of the 
sea of Galilee there was a road leading from Da- 
mascus to Acre on the Mediterranean, and on that 
road a customs-office marked the boundary be- 
tween the territories of Philip, the tetrarch, and 
Herod Antipas. Matthew's occupation was the 
examination of goods which passed along the 
road, and the le\^ing of the toll. A Jew serving 
on a great highway was prevented from fulfilling 
requirements of the Law, and was compelled to 
violate the Sabbath law, which the Gentiles, who 
conveyed their goods, did not observe." ^ Jesus 
found Matthew at his work. We are very apt to 
imagine that Jesus can only find men in church, 
such, however, is not the case. He can find men 
wherever men are to be found. To-day, as in the 
days of His flesh, our Lord visits our places of 
business as truly as He visits the church. Does 
such a thought ever cross your mental horizon, 
that Jesus visits you as you work? He comes to 
us as we buy and sell and endeavour to get gain. 
He comes when we least expect Him and asks us 
if we are content not merely with our wages, but 
with the kind of work we are turning out. When 

^ Dictionary of Christ and the Gospels. 



An Urgent Call 85 



we are tempted to countenance a dishonest trans- 
action, He comes and suggests that we are get- 
ting the worst of the bargain, for he who Hves by 
fraud shall perish by the same. In His presence 
we feel we cannot be anything but honourable. 
He comes to us when we grow impatient of ad- 
verse conditions, He reminds us that our bread 
and water is assured, and intimates that we are 
not merely engaged in making a living, but under- 
going discipline to develop a life. Whether we 
recognize Him or not, we enter upon another 
day's work with a light heart, and our labour be- 
comes a means of grace. 

Matthew was so engrossed in business that he 
did not observe the Sabbath law. He had to work 
seven days in the week and apparently had no 
opportunity of hearing the mighty Prophet about 
whom everybody was talking. How graciously 
our Lord accommodates Himself to our circum- 
stances. If Matthew cannot find time to go to 
hear Jesus, Jesus will go to visit Matthew. If 
you cannot come to church to worship Him, in 
the fellowship of His people. He will come home 
to you, and you may recognize Him in the break- 
ing of the bread, in the opening of the sacred page, 
and in causing your heart to burn with you as He 
begins at Moses and expounds to you the Scrip- 
tures. He sends His servants into your homes 
with this promise to encourage them, "He that 
receiveth you receiveth Me, and he that receiveth 
Me receiveth Him that sent Me." Adverse cir- 



86 



Soul Crises 



cumstances are no barrier to Christ. He sees us 
under all conditions. We may receive a surprise 
visit from our Lord, and when He comes let us 
ask Him to enter into partnership with us. 

Having seen where Matthew^ was, and what he 
was doing, let us endeavour to see what kind of 
a man he was. He was a publican and whatever 
virtues he might possess he would not get much 
credit for them because a publican and a sinner 
were synonymous terms. "In Galilee the publi- 
cans had to collect, not for the imperial treasury 
(as in Judea), but for Herod Antipas, the 
tetrarch. But whether in the service of the hated 
Roman Emperor or of Herod Antipas, who was 
in complete subservience to him, the tax-gatherer 
was most unpopular with the Jews; for, apart 
from the obvious liability of the method to abuse, 
the mere fact of the money being thus raised for 
an alien power was detestable in their eyes. And 
no doubt the publicans were often drawn from the 
lowest ranks in consequence." ^ Matthew was the 
son of Alpheus. Who Alpheus was, or to what 
station in life he belonged we cannot determine, 
for we know nothing about him with the exception 
of his name. However, the fact is well estab- 
lished, that Matthew was a publican; for he desig- 
nates himself thus in giving the list of the disciples. 
Although he wrote the gospel from the Jewish 
standpoint, and set forth the majesty of King 
Jesus, he is silent about himself with the excep- 

^ Dictionary of Christ and the Gospels. 



An Urgent Call 



87 



tion of acknowledging that he was a publican. 

Evidently he was not renowned as a teacher 
or preacher, for he is never mentioned in the 
Acts of the Apostles as going on a preaching tour, 
or even of taking a public part in the Christian 
campaign. Although not gifted as a speaker, he 
excelled as a writer, and he has left a worthy 
memorial in the gospel which bears his name. 
Every man after his own order. When Jesus went 
in search of Matthew, He knew the kind of man 
he wanted. And although nobody would have 
been more surprised than he, on the day when 
Jesus saw him at his work, if it had been sug- 
gested that he would live to write a gospel, yet 
he did it and he did it well. In thinking of a tax- 
gatherer's becoming one of the literary artists of 
the world, we are forcibly reminded of what 
Christ can do for any man who responds to His 
call. Any man who yields himself unreservedly 
to Jesus Christ will not only become a revelation 
to the world, but a revelation to himself. There 
is a beautiful humility in Matthew's designation 
of himself as a publican. Humility is always be- 
coming. Isaiah exhorts us to remember the rock 
from whence we were hewn, and the hole of the 
pit from whence we were digged. Can we not 
say with the Psalmist, "I waited patiently for the 
Lord; and He inclined unto me, and heard my 
cry. He brought me up also out of an horrible 
pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon 
a rock, and established my goings. And he hath 



88 



Soul Crises 



put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our 
God." 

If the Pharisees had been asked for Matthew's 
character they would have given it without hesi- 
tation. He was a publican, and no one but a repro- 
bate would be engaged in a business like that. 
He was a Sabbath-breaker and consequently ostra- 
cised from all decent society. Yet strange to say 
when Jesus was looking for one who would write 
the story of His earthly pilgrimage, He chose not 
a Pharisee but a publican. 

Not many wise, not many mighty are called for 
the simple reason that the mighty and the wise 
are satisfied with themselves. They glory in their 
wisdom or they glory in their might. And noth- 
ing is so fatal to progress as satisfaction with 
one's self, whether it be with one's character or 
achievements. Jesus sees not merely what we are 
but what we may become. He discovers the slum- 
bering giant and awakens him to action. He 
comes to publicans and sinners, to those who are 
conscious of their need of Him and says, "Pub- 
lican, I want thee to become a prophet; Sinner, 
I want thee to become a saint." 

The call of Matthew was very dramatic. It 
is a thrilling moment in the history of the soul 
when it responds to the call of the Master. "And 
as Jesus passed forth from thence, He saw a man, 
named Matthew sitting at the receipt of custom; 
and He saith unto him, 'Follow Me.' And he 
arose and followed Him." This call was ad- 



An Urgent Call 89 



dressed to a busy man. That was the kind of 
man He was looking for. Jesus never calls a 
loafer. For that type of an individual, He has 
no use whatever. He was a tremendous worker 
Himself, He made every minute count. On one 
occasion, when His disciples prayed Him to eat 
bread. He said, "My meat is to do the will of 
Him that sent Me, and to finish His work." The 
King's business required haste, and to extend the 
boundaries of His Empire. He wanted men of 
enterprise and enthusiasm. The watchword of 
His Kingdom is, "Work while it is day; for the 
night Cometh when no man can work." 

No one has a keener eye for a business man 
than Jesus. At a glance He can tell the mental 
and moral calibre of the man. One look, and He 
knows whether a man is occupying a position 
worthy of his talents. No leader in any sphere 
of labour has such a faculty for discovering men 
as Jesus Christ. 

Our Lord is vitally interested in the working 
man. He is the Friend of all but especially of 
the burdened and the oppressed. He has cham- 
pioned the cause of the working man; and to 
every working man He comes to-day saying, 
"Follow Me!" Will you, like Matthew, respond? 
Do you plead that you cannot serve God in your 
business? Then, like Matthew, leave it, and the 
sooner the better. Do you plead lack of time to 
attend to religion apart from business hours? 
Then serve God in your business, and your whole 



90 



Soul Crises 



life will be transformed into one grand act of 
worship. The call of Christ is from sin to holi- 
ness, from death to life, from the power of Satan 
unto God. This call came not only to a busy man, 
but to a capable man. 

Jesus has a purpose in every call and a place 
for every life. He imparts His Spirit unto His 
followers and they become new creatures. Old 
things pass away and all become new. He speaks 
to a young rake, saying, "Follow Me and I will 
make thee St. Augustine, one of the greatest of 
the Church Fathers." He speaks to a drunken, 
blaspheming tinker, saying, "Follow Me, and I 
will make thee John Bunyan, the immortal 
dreamer." He speaks to an obscure cobbler, say- 
ing, "Follow Me, and I will make thee, William 
Carey, the apostle of modern missions." He 
speaks to you, to-day, saying, "Follow Me, and 
I will show thee what great things thou must do 
for My name's sake." 

How many of the publican class Christ has 
called! And what a noble army has responded. 
Will you respond? Jesus calls you. Shall He 
call in vain? Will it be put on record against 
you, "I have called and ye have refused?" Are 
you going to say to your Lord what Felix said 
to Paul, "Go thy way for this time, when I have 
a more convenient season I will call for thee?" 
That convenient season never came. Matthew 
responded immediately and cheerfully. "And he 
arose and followed Him." Without any reluc- 



An Urgent Call 



91 



tance, without any misgivings, he arose and fol- 
lowed Jesus in the way. Will any one dare 
to charge Matthew with indiscretion? Had 
Matthew declined the call, he would have lived 
like an ordinary publican and died unknown. But 
he obeyed! Consequently his name will never 
die. His Christian work is his perpetual memo- 
rial. Who then is willing, like Matthew, to fol- 
low Jesus all the way? 

You ask if I am aware of the tremendous de- 
mand I am making; of what it means to follow 
Jesus all the way? Your thought is the price you 
will have to pay by becoming a Christian. It is 
a good thing to count the cost. You say, it meant 
little or nothing then to follow Christ, but con- 
sider what it will mean to-day! Think you it 
meant little or nothing to Matthew? It meant 
everything to him. It is highly probable that it 
meant more to him than it will mean to us. It 
cost him something to give up his position, for 
no man was in that business simply for the love 
of it. The man who wanted to make money 
quickly became a publican. What had induced 
Matthew to become a publican we know not, but 
this we do know, at the call of Christ he left all 
and became an ardent disciple. You are thinking 
of what it will cost to make the effort. Think 
deliberately what it will cost if you refuse the call. 
Some calls we cannot afford to ignore, and above 
all we cannot afford to ignore Christ's. 

Matthew was proud of the call. And to cele- 



9a 



Soul Crises 



brate this new departure in his life he made a 
feast in his own house, and invited a great mul- 
titude of publicans and others to meet his newly 
found Master and Lord. Matthew did not steal 
into the kingdom as though he were ashamed of 
such a proceeding. He was honoured by such a 
call and by a public reception in honor of the 
Master, and by his subsequent loyalty and devo- 
tion he endeavoured to prove himself worthy of 
that august occasion when the Son of God came 
to him, a sinful publican, and said, "Follow Me." 
History has proved that Jesus made no mistake 
in His man. He sought and found, not a 
preacher but a church historian. 

Jesus is calling you. He has something for 
you to do. Let your response be as prompt and 
as hearty as that of Matthew. 



CHAPTER VII 



THE POSSIBILITIES OF THE AVERAGE MAN 

And he said unto him, What is thy name? And he said, Jacob. 
And he said. Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but 
Israel: for as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, 
and hast prevailed. — Gen. XXXII, 27-28. 

I SUPPOSE there is a tragedy in every life. 
At least, there is a tragedy in the life of 
every man who wanders away from God, and a 
double tragedy in the life of the man who never 
comes back. The experience I wish to portray 
is that of the man who has gone into the far coun- 
try of sin, who has tasted its dead sea fruit, and 
who is resolved to return to his father's house. 

That it is not always an easy matter to return 
is illustrated by the experience of Jacob. Jacob 
was born under the most favourable conditions. 
He was a son of pious parents, and doubtless the 
subject of many prayers. His father was a pa- 
triarch; and a divine messenger had said, respect- 
ing him and his brother, "the elder shall serve the 
younger." From the first there was a marked 
contrast between these twins. "And the boys 
grew; and Esau was a cunning hunter, a man of 
the field; and Jacob was a plain man dwelling 

93 



94 



Soul Crises 



in tents." Jacob impresses us favourably, and 
even he was not a "born saint." Strenuous ef- 
forts have been put forth to prove his inherent 
goodness, but argument has had to rest on very 
slender evidence. Let us endeavour to see what 
he was by nature, also what he became by the 
power of divine grace. Jacob was no better and 
perhaps no worse than the rest of us. He is a 
fair specimen of the ordinary man. 

His life was profoundly influenced by two men 
who did not have a beneficial effect upon him. 
These two men were Esau and Laban. They 
represent the two extremes in wickedness. Esau 
was a splendid animal. We admire him and we 
pity him, but we imitate him at our peril. He 
was a man who must have pleasure regardless of 
the price. Laban was an unscrupulous hypocrite. 
Esau was such an easy mark that Jacob was 
tempted to overreach him, while Laban was so 
far-seeing as to make capital out of Jacob. These 
two men are types of those who can always be 
found in the far country of sin, and strange as 
it may seem, they do not live together, but dwell 
near the opposite borders. Esau occasionally can 
take a wild excursion inland, but his home is near 
the border. He can be very rehgious at times. 
His sins are largely the results of neglect and 
indifference. Laban was much farther inland. 
He dwelt near the opposite border, — just a little 
removed from perdition. He had use for reli- 
gion only in so far as it paid. His was the sin 



The Possibilities of the Average Man 95 

of covetousness and duplicity. He deliberately 
planned injustice and was prepared to grow fat 
by oppression. 

The sad experience of Jacob bids us beware of 
sin in its initial stages, of trying to gain the right 
by wrong means. "The wages of sin is death." 
This is a dread fact we are apt to overlook. At 
first sin allures and captivates. The more we 
meditate upon it, the more attractive it appears; 
until we are convinced that it would be folly not 
to avail ourselves of what seems to be a providen- 
tial opportunity. It was thus with Jacob. He 
had been told by his devoted mother that he was 
to succeed his father. Esau, his brother, was of 
such a reckless disposition that he did not appre- 
ciate such an honour, and was clearly unfit to be 
entrusted with it. The more Jacob thought of 
the birthright the more determined was he to get 
it. One day while at his tent preparing a mess 
of red lentils, a favourable opportunity presented 
itself. Esau, who had been out on an unsuccess- 
ful hunting expedition, approached the tent in a 
famishing condition. As soon as he espied the 
mess of pottage he cried, "feed me I pray thee 
with that red." "And Jacob said, 'Sell me this 
day thy birthright,' . . . and he sold his birth- 
right unto Jacob." Sin presented itself to Jacob 
in the light of an advantage. It was an oppor- 
tune time for driving a shrewd bargain, but in 
reality it was taking a mean advantage. He had 
wronged his brother and he knew it. Conscience 



96 



Soul Crises 



rose in rebellion and charged him with over- 
reaching, but he lulled it to sleep. At the outset 
sin always appears to be a decided advantage. A 
favourable opportunity presents itself for selfish 
gratification and indulgence. Nobody will know. 
Then why should I not embrace this oppor- 
tunity? A mean advantage is taken of another's 
weakness, of another's ignorance, or of another's 
love, and the outraged monitor within proclaims 
the awful fact that God knows, that an indelible 
record has been made of the deed, and in a voice 
that refuses to be silenced it says, "Thou hast 
wronged thy brother, thou hast wronged thy 
sister, thou hast wronged thy home, thou hast 
wronged thy body, thou hast wronged thy soul." 

One sin prepares the way for another. The 
sin of meanness prepares the way for falsehood 
and hypocrisy. The propagating power of sin 
is seen in the stealing of the blessing. Isaac had 
been told that the elder son should serve the 
younger, yet he determines to bless Esau. So 
about forty years before his decease he imagined 
he was at the point of death, and calling Esau 
he instructed him to go to the field, to bring 
venison, and to make savoury meat such as he 
loved that his soul might bless him before he 
died. Rebekah overheard what passed between 
Isaac and Esau, and evidently thinking that God's 
purpose would not be fulfilled, she determined to 
interfere on Jacob's behalf. Jacob loved his 
mother, and she led him into a snare. But he 



The Possibilities of the Average Man 97 



knew he was doing wrong, and when he went into 
his blind father's presence he intended saying as 
Httle as possible. Having gone so far, he found 
it easier to go farther. One falsehood was 
needed to hide another; and when he left his 
father's presence he was a deliberate liar. 

There was a good deal of selfishness in both 
parents. It is on record that "Isaac loved Esau 
because he partook of his venison." There are 
a great many of this kind of lovers in the world 
to-day, people who love you for what they can 
get out of you. If those with whom you associate 
do not love you for what you are, keep your eyes 
open. A young man with a well-filled purse al- 
ways can find companions to sing, "He's a jolly 
good fellow," while they are drinking at his ex- 
pense, but when his cash is gone, they suddenly 
remember an important duty they must perform 
without delay, and they leave the poor, deluded 
mortal friendless and forsaken. Selfishness, cruel 
and heartless, is the way of the world. 

Jacob's parents were guilty of partiality. "Isaac 
loved Esau, because he did eat of his venison; but 
Rebekah loved Jacob." Rebekah, by interfering 
with the purpose of God, succeeded in undoing 
the very end she sought to achieve. Esau had 
disappointed his parents in his marriage, and so 
Rebekah tried by every possible means, as she 
thought, to keep Jacob at home. So she assisted 
him to deceive his father, but she was the one 
to be the most cruelly deceived. That piece of 



98 



Soul Crises 



dishonest work quickly bore fruit. Jacob had to 
fly before the fury of his enraged brother. His 
mother told him to flee to Haran and tarry a 
few days until his brother's fury had turned 
away. Jacob departed and his mother never saw 
him again. 

Try as we may, we can hardly enter into 
Jacob's feelings as he stepped out from home. 
It is hard to leave with the good wishes of all 
behind, but when you have to bid farewell to 
all that memory holds dear because of your own 
deliberate sin, it is harder still. Turning away 
from the home of his childhood, the home of his 
youth and young manhood, Jacob knew that his 
own sin had closed the door behind him. His 
mind doubtless would be filled with the thoughts 
of sadness mingled with remorse. Oh, the 
tragedy of it! Driven from home by one's own 
evil deeds! Young people honour your homes! 
If you have to leave home in disgrace, you will 
find this to be a cold, cruel world, to say nothing 
of the broken hearts left behind. Let this truth 
burn into your soul. "The way of transgressors 
is hard." 

Amid conflicting thoughts, Jacob walks on till 
eventide, and with a strange sense of loneliness he 
settles down for the night. That was a memor- 
able night. As he slept he dreamed, "and behold 
a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it 
reached to heaven : and behold the angels of God 
ascending and descending on it. And, behold! 



The Possibilities of the Average Man 99 

the Lord stood above it and said, *I am the Lord 
God of Abraham thy father, and the God of 
Isaac: the land whereon thou liest, to thee will 
I give it, and to thy seed; and thy seed shall be 
as the dust of the earth; . . . and in thee and 
in thy seed shall all the families of the earth be 
blessed.' " After receiving many exceedingly great 
and precious promises Jacob awoke and said, 
" 'Surely the Lord is in this place; and I knew it 
not' And he was afraid, and said, 'How dread- 
ful is this place ! this is none other but the house 
of God, and this is the gate of heaven,' " 

Jacob was running away from home, but he 
could not get beyond the jurisdiction of God. 
Some of you are trying to run away from good 
influences, and some of you may be riding at 
a stretch-gallop into vice, but remember, there 
is a God above, and you cannot escape from Him. 
If we had a true conception of God's greatness, 
I believe we would be overawed. David sinned 
and when his iniquity bore fruit, and trouble came 
in like a flood he cried, "Oh that I had wings 
like a dove! for then would I fly away and be 
at rest." But he bethought himself and said, 
"If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell 
in the uttermost parts of the sea ; even there shall 
thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold 
me. 

The Lord told Jacob that He would be with 
him, would bless him, and make him a blessing; 
yet such was his vision of God's resources that 



lOO 



Soul Crises 



he immediately said, "Give me enough to eat 
and to wear and if thou art able to do this thou 
shalt be my God." This goes to prove how near 
we may come to God without being made wise 
unto salvation. He with a tenderness surpassing 
human thought is constantly speaking unto the 
children of men, and giving them the promise of 
the life that now is, and of that which is to come, 
but their thoughts are so crammed with worldH- 
ness, they will not take time to consider their 
royal inheritance in Christ Jesus. Yes! It is 
possible to attend divine worship, and remain 
a stranger to the God of all grace. 

Jacob continued his journey down to Haran, 
and there took up his abode. He seems to have 
become somewhat of an adept in making bar- 
gains, but Laban was more than a match for him. 
Shortly after his arrival he bargained for a wife, 
Rachel whom he loved, and Laban made him 
work fourteen years for seven years' wages. He 
was deceived repeatedly. His wages were 
changed ten times, but these deceptions were only 
the beginning of his sorrows. Here he began 
to reap the wild oats he had sown. He reaped 
for many years and a bitter harvest it was. If 
crafty at home, he is by no means reformed down 
in Haran. He waxes worse and worse, and 
stoops to practise deception whenever possible. 

Reforms are seldom the result of running away 
from home. If you wish to live an upright life, 
don't run away from home, run away from your 



The Possibilities of the Average Man lOl 

sins, run to "the Lamb of God which taketh away 
the sin of the world." 

Eventually Jacob hears the call of God. "I 
am the God of Bethel, arise." God had not for- 
gotten Jacob, nor His promise to him, although 
Jacob evidently had forgotten God. How pa- 
tiently and persistently God follows us with His 
offers of mercy. He comes to you to-night as He 
came to Jacob of old, saying, "I am the God of 
thy youth, arise. Thou hast been down here in 
the Haran of sin too long. Shake off thy filthy 
garments, and accept the robe of my righteous- 
ness which fadeth not away." I beseech you to 
give heed to the voice of God. There is some- 
thing noble and majestic in you which cannot find 
rest in the foreign land of sin. 

Jacob was a fugitive, exiled from home, de- 
ceiving and being deceived, yet his life was pre- 
served. Esau and Laban schemed but they could 
not touch him. God had set his hand upon Jacob 
for good. Although you have been unfaithful 
to the highest within you, and wandered far from 
the path of rectitude, do you not marvel at the 
providence of God in sparing you? God has 
watched over you with incessant care, when you 
cared little or nothing for yourselves, and unless 
you deliberately refuse, there is a sphere in which 
you are going to be made eminently useful. You 
may yet become mighty men of God. 

Jacob stole away from Laban like a thief. 
True to his character, it was beyond his power 



I02 



Soul Crises 



to change. Jacob was a deceiver by nature. If 
he had not met God at Bethel, he doubtless would 
have become one of the cleverest scoundrels of 
his time. God only knows where we might have 
been, had we not been restrained by the influence 
of good people around us. But a time comes 
when devices fail and clever forgeries are laid 
bare, and all the concoctions of a lifetime pass 
before the vision with failure and defeat written 
over every one. The crisis in Jacob's life has 
arrived. All his schemes avail nothing; and the 
marvel in this time of tragedy is that he de- 
termines to meet God at Bethel. Men are able 
to sail down the smooth stream of time farther 
and farther away from God; but there is one 
storm in the life of all in which they are saved 
or lost. 

While prosecuting his journey to Canaan, 
Jacob sent messengers to tell Esau of his ap- 
proach, and if possible to find grace in his sight. 
The messengers returned saying, "We came to 
thy brother Esau, and also he cometh to meet 
thee, and four hundred men with him." Then 
Jacob was greatly afraid and distressed. Things 
are looking serious for poor, penitent Jacob. He 
is in a terrible plight. What can he do? To 
fight he is unprepared. To retreat is impossible. 
Then what can he do? He must act quickly for 
Esau is coming and four hundred men with him. 
In this perilous hour he remembers the promises 
of the God of his father; and for the first time 



The Possibilities of the Average Man 103 

in his life he prays. 

Do you remember the first time you really and 
consciously prayed? "And Jacob said 'O God!' " 
If we pray when in trouble there is no doubt 
about our sincerity. After prayer, Jacob took 
a number of his cattle, divided them into droves, 
and sent them by the hands of his servants as a 
present to Esau. Then he sent all that remained 
across the brook Jabbok, "and Jacob was left 
alone." 

Before Jacob will be fit to enter and possess 
the promised land his nature must be changed. 
As Jacob, the supplanter, he cannot enter the land 
of promise. "And there wrestled a man with 
him until the breaking of the day. And when he 
saw that he prevailed not against him, he touched 
the hollow of his thigh; and the hollow of Jacob's 
thigh was out of joint as he wrestled with him. 
And he said, 'Let me go, for the day breaketh.' 
And he said, 'I will not let thee go, except thou 
bless me.' And he said unto him, 'What is thy 
name?' And he said 'Jacob.' " My name is sup- 
planter. In this reply there was a humble con- 
fession of his subtle scheming nature. I have 
been an overreacher, a deceiver, my life has been 
an acted lie. I confess and deplore the fact that 
by name and nature I am a supplanter. To his 
open confession the divine wrestler replied, "Thy 
name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel: 
for as a prince hast thou power with God and 
with men, and hast prevailed," 



I04 



Soul Crises 



The sorrows of the night are passed, Jacob 
emerged from that inevitable struggle a con- 
querer. He is Jacob the defrauder no more, for 
old things have passed away, and all have become 
new. He is henceforth to be known as Israel, a 
prince who has power with God and prevails. 

Many men have a stained past, but if they are 
now turning the world upside-down by their 
prayers, it is conclusive evidence that they have 
been abundantly pardoned and turned from the 
power of Satan to God. The demand of these 
critical times is for men who can pray. Praying 
men are the salt of the earth, the light of the 
world. Wilberforce began a crusade against 
slavery. Men laughed him to scorn, but he 
laboured on until England was shaken from 
centre to circumference, and the name of Wilber- 
force and Liberty became a household word. 
What was the secret of his success? Wilberforce 
knew how to pray. Oh for a baptism of divine 
power which will make us men like Luther, Knox, 
and Wesley! — men who revolutionized the 
world by their prayers. They were moral giants 
in their day and generation. 

But heroes for God and humanity have not 
all become mere names of a glorious past. The 
leaders and reformers of to-morrow are to be 
found in our churches to-day. The call of Christ 
comes to you saying, "Arise!" Respond to the 
call ! Rise to the occasion and play the man ! If 
in your hearts you know that you are supplanters, 



The Possibilities of the Average Man 105 

defrauders, that you are living beneath your 
privileges, that God and the world have a right 
to expect greater things of you ; if these are your 
true sentiments, there is hope for you, and by the 
power of the Holy Ghost you may become princes 
and have power with God and prevail. You too 
must meet God in Christ. The crisis of your life 
has arrived. Act now! Plead the promises of 
God, the mighty promises of pardon, of peace, 
of adoption and power, those glorious promises 
which are all "Yea" and "Amen in Christ," and 
you shall be saved, and go forth to bless the 
world. 



CHAPTER VIII 



A MORAL TRAGEDY 

He then having received the sop =went immediately out: and it 
ivas night. — John XIII, 30. 

THE history of Judas is full of warning and 
instruction. We are favoured with an ac- 
count of his call, of his work, and of his exit 
from the stage. Knowing the end of his career, 
from the beginning, we are liable to imagine that 
he was a failure from the outset. However we 
may speculate about this idea, there is nothing in 
the narrative to support it, and besides, it is con- 
trary to everyday experience. Many a man has 
begun well, has given promise of becoming a 
bright and shining light, has betrayed his trust, 
yielded to inclination, to pleasure, to passion, and 
ultimately gone out into the night. To say what 
some people who apparently have no time for 
rehgion, are continually saying, "If I'm born to 
be saved, I'll be saved; and if I'm born to be lost, 
I'll be lost," is to subscribe to the creed of Fate. 
The sooner we give the lie to such an unchristian 
notion the better. It arises from the teaching 
which is so rampant to-day, and which is so per- 
sistently taught by materiaHsts, that man is a ma- 

J06 



A Moral Tragedy 



107 



chine, and therefore not responsible for his ac- 
tions, whether they are good, bad, or indifferent. 
If man is not responsible for his actions, then 
Christianity is a delusion, and the sooner we pull 
down our churches and burn our Bibles the 
better. 

But man is a morally accountable being. This 
doctrine of non-responsibility only needs to be 
looked at to be condemned. If there is no such 
thing as sin, and man is not morally responsible 
for his actions, it is not only religion that will 
have to go; everything that belongs to law and 
order, to honour and justice, will have to go with 
it. Let us not delude ourselves, we are morally 
responsible for our actions. Obligation is rooted 
and grounded in our nature. God has given us 
the awful power of choice. We may choose 
good, and we may choose evil. What we do, we 
do deliberately. 

Before we subscribe to the creed of Fate let 
us acquaint ourselves with the plain teaching of 
Scripture. St. Peter writes, "The Lord is not 
slack concerning His promise, as some men count 
slackness; but is long-suffering to usward, not 
willing that any should perish, but that all should 
come to repentance." St. Paul states, "God will 
have all men to be saved, and to come unto the 
knowledge of the truth." 

Some people profess to believe that Judas had 
to be lost. If we were more fully acquainted with 
our Bibles we would see that he had repeated 



io8 



Soul Crises 



warnings and opportunities to turn from the path 
he deliberately chose. The career of Judas is 
a true commentary of sin in its workings. He is 
a type of the man who is only partially spiritual. 
He heard Christ's call and accompanied Him as 
"He went about doing good," but he was not 
fully consecrated to his holy task. He compro- 
mised with evil until he was led captive by the 
devil at his will and committed an act, the nature 
of which makes every honest man tremble at the 
possibiHties of his own sinful nature. 

In reviewing the life of Judas let us not sit in 
judgment upon him, rather "let him that thinketh 
he standeth take heed lest he fall." First of all 
then let us glance at his life as an apostle. It 
is evident that at the beginning of his apostolic 
career, Judas felt the thrill of a great emotion. 
This is the only way we can reasonably account 
for his becoming a follower of Christ. There 
must have been that act of renunciation which 
every man makes who leaves all to follow Christ. 
It means a great deal to follow Christ in these 
days, but it meant a great deal more then. There 
was the question of his home and its associations 
which Judas cheerfully left. It means something 
to leave home. It means a great deal to a father 
when his son leaves home. There is a great deal 
of anxious thought of which the son knows little 
or nothing. I have read of a father who ac- 
companied his son to the railway station. The 
son was going to try his fortunes on the troubled 



A Moral Tragedy 



109 



sea of the world. As the father bade his son 
good-bye he said, with a face that revealed his 
strong emotion, "If you disgrace me, it will break 
my heart." If it means something to a father 
when his son leaves home, what does it mean to 
a mother? Only a mother knows! We may 
surmise a little as we see an occasional tear steal 
down her cheek, as we hear her loving counsel; 
and as we see her retire to her room to pray for 
the well-being of her boy. It means something 
to a youth who is leaving home, it may be for a 
town or city far away, and when at last he finds 
that the domestic tie has been severed and he is 
alone in a strange place, he retires to his room to 
meditate, to live again those glorious days of 
childhood, to think perhaps for the first time seri- 
ously of all the love and care that has been 
lavished upon him by his devoted parents. And 
he vows that he will do all in his power to be 
a credit to them. Blessed indeed is the youth if 
at that moment he drops on his knees, and by 
faith puts his hand into the hand of Christ. 

Then there was the question of occupation- 
We are not in a position to say what enterprise 
Judas was engaged in when Christ called him 
but no doubt it would be worthy of his talents. 
There was no gainsaying the fact that Judas was 
a clever young man. His talents were recognized 
immediately by Christ who made him the 
treasurer of the Apostolic band. It is the young 
man of unquestioned ability who receives our ad- 



no Soul Crises 

miration. It is the young man of indisputed in- 
tegrity who commands our respect. It is the 
brilliant young man who is most exposed to the 
fierce blast of temptation. Whatever enterprise 
Judas was engaged in, he gave it up to follow 
Christ. Then last, but not least, there was the 
question of pride. There is little doubt that 
Judas, as a talented young man, stood well in the 
good graces of his fellow citizens. To run counter 
to their wishes, to break with them, would require 
no mean moral effort. To throw in his lot with 
Jesus of Nazareth, who was making a bold at- 
tempt to achieve the impossible, would be re- 
garded by his friends as an act not merely of 
folly but of insanity. Even in our own times, 
after centuries of the indisputable benefits of 
Christianity, when young men begin to follow 
Christ they are labelled by the worldly wise as 
fools and madmen. If young men find it neces- 
sary to take a determined stand to-day, what 
must it have meant then when everybody who 
wanted to be recognized as somebody looked 
askance upon the strange Man who made no secret 
of His intention of establishing a kingdom of 
God, a kingdom which was ''not meat and drink, 
but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy 
Ghost"? 

It is easy for us to imagine with what joy we 
would have hailed the call to be an apostle, but 
if the Lord Christ were walking our streets to- 
day, as He did in the days of His flesh, and we 



A Moral Tragedy 



III 



heard Him denouncing as a hollow sham the re- 
ligion of some of our most prominent church 
members, I'm afraid we would pass by on the 
other side. But Judas, and let us not hesitate 
to give him his due, left all and followed the Man 
of Galilee. Yes! He left all! He made the 
grand renunciation. He left all that was behind 
and then! Oh! How we would like to picture 
his triumphs as an apostle ! But facts are against 
us. He signally failed to grasp in its fullness the 
life and the vigour which Christ sought to impart. 
As far as he went, he did splendidly, and had he 
absorbed the spirit of the Master, caught His 
imperial vision, and thrown himself body and 
soul into the work, there is every reason to be- 
lieve that he, too, like Peter and James and 
John, would have gone on to attain glory, honour, 
and immortality. 

The tragedy of his life is that his enthusiasm 
was short-lived. He lost his first love. His 
ardour dwindled to conventional conformity, and 
while he kept up a respectable appearance before 
the Lord Christ, his heart was far from Him. 

What is wrong with our churches to-day? Is 
it not precisely this: that we are half-hearted? 
That our attention is too much divided, that we 
are endeavouring to serve God and Mammon? 
This half-heartedness is in the pulpit as well as 
in the pew. Is the charge true, so frequently 
made, that we preach as though we were almost 
ready to apologise for the content of the message 



112 



Sold Crises 



which has wrought more radical changes than 
all other messages combined? The charge may 
be quite uncalled for, but, for the sake of Him 
whose we are and whom we serve, let us give 
ample evidence that we believe the truths we 
proclaim. "If the trumpet shall give an uncer- 
tain sound who shall prepare himself for battle?" 
If there is no danger, why any need for alarm? 
If a lion in our midst got loose, we would quickly 
overcome our reserve. We might even risk our 
lives to save a child from his terrible jaws, and 
with the handiest available weapon we would 
challenge the beast to mortal combat. What we 
need to realize is that we are daily exposed to 
evils infinitely more aggressive than any lion that 
roams the wilds. Our fathers used to say, "The 
devil goeth about as a roaring lion seeking whom 
he may devour." And they preached as though 
they believed it. Now, some of us say quite 
candidly, "There is no lion." Others of us are 
saying, "There may be a lion, but in any case he 
has lost his teeth." And a number of us, by 
our indifferent attitude are saying, "Let him 
roar." Brethren! our half-heartedness is peril- 
ous. Beware ! lest in our case, it lead into the 
gulf into which Judas by transgression fell. 

Is it not lamentable that young preachers 
should be studying the latest commentary to see 
if they are still to believe in a devil? My ex- 
perience leads me to remark that they do not need 
to go so far. If the devil could demoralize an 



A Moral Tragedy 113 



apostle who then can be saved? No compromis- 
ing Christian can be saved. One of the glaring 
defects of present-day rehgion is that so many of 
us have a name to live and are dead. But if we 
are alive in Him we need not fear. So long as 
we are loyal to Christ we are invulnerable. Too 
many of us who are preaching the gospel are 
like lions chained. Our diction must be fault- 
less, and we must of necessity be held in by cul- 
tured restraint. One feels like saying tO' the 
advocates of restraint, of the man of God who is 
so liberally endowed, "Loose him, and let him 
go." Oh to be swayed with a passion for right- 
eousness ! To recognize fully, and to feel keenly 
the tremendous issues at stake! The awful pos- 
sibility of men becoming traitors or saints, a 
Judas or a St. Paul! 

The subtle forces of evil are still at work in 
the home, in the church, and in the world. Con- 
sider who Judas was. He wasn't a heathen, he 
was a Christian, and a Christian apostle at that. 
If the devil could take possession of an apostle, 
under the very eye of Christ, we should realize 
once for all that nothing but whole-hearted devo- 
tion to Christ and His cause will save us, and 
the people to whom we preach. You may still 
contend that Judas was not an apostle at heart. 
Possibly not. But who are we to sit in judgment 
against Judas? Will any of us affirm that our 
motives are without alloy, that our loyalty is be- 
yond question? If we rightly read our hearts, 



114 



Soul Crises 



we will have no Pharisaic thoughts nor harsh 
words to level against the man who became a 
traitor. 

This leads us to the oft repeated question: 
Why did Christ choose Judas as one of the 
twelve? The inference underlying this question 
is that Christ saw the end from the beginning. 
Even though He did, one thing is certain: The 
Lord had a perfect right to call "unto Him whom 
He would." Is it not possible that Christ chose 
Judas to avert a great moral disaster? He chose 
him because He saw in him great possibilities 
both for good and evil. He saw the bent of his 
nature and, in His compassion, gave him the 
unique privilege of making his calling and elec- 
tion sure, before His eyes. When Judas re- 
sponded to the call of Christ he was full of high 
and holy aspirations, and possibly he vowed in 
his heart, by his loyalty and devotion to become 
the very chiefest apostle. The tragic close of 
his career must not blind us to the fact that at 
the outset there was a most promising beginning. 
If we are so interested in our Lord's choice of 
Judas, has it ever dawned upon us to ask why He 
has chosen us? "Ye have not chosen Me, but I 
have chosen you." Christ sees a divine possibil- 
ity in every one of us. He never fails to see the 
diamond in the rough, and had Judas been true 
to His Lord, the story of his life would have been 
very different. 

When did Judas begin to go astray? That is 



A Moral Tragedy 



115 



hard to determine. We only can conjecture. 
The only man who could have told us was Judas. 
Every individual who is trifling with, or being 
driven almost to desperation through secret sin 
could give us a fairly good idea as to when it 
was first encouraged, if he would. Very small 
and almost imperceptible are the beginnings of 
sin, but how quickly it grows to a giant before 
whom we quiver in dismay I The first hint we 
get of the apostasy of Judas is given by our Lord, 
about a year before His crucifixion. "But there 
are some of you that believe not." Jesus knew 
what was going on in the heart of Judas long be- 
fore He gave this first gentle rebuke. A greater 
significance is given to many of our Lord's re- 
marks when we remember the disloyalty, the dis- 
honesty, and the consequent disaster of "one of 
the twelve." Judas started on the down grade 
when he began to encourage and entertain dis- 
loyal thoughts about the Master. What is the 
cause of disloyalty? Unbelief! If you begin to 
doubt people, if you cease to believe in them or 
their principles, you will soon cease to love them. 
What led to this change in one who began so 
bravely, who promised so well? Judas was dis- 
appointed. He had expected something different, 
and so had all the disciples. They entertained 
hopes of a political kingdom and of an honoured 
place in the cabinet. They were soon informed 
of their delusion, for Jesus told them plainly that 
His kingdom was not of this world. He tried 



ii6 



Soul Crises 



to educate them to the idea that the Kingdom of 
God was something more impressive, something 
more magnificent, something more enduring than 
they had ever dreamed. Consequently the eleven 
became more attached to their master. Their 
lives were transformed by faith and hope and 
love, but not so Judas. He gradually became em- 
bittered, and instead of growing in grace he be- 
came absorbed in side issues. His disappoint- 
ment developed into unbelief. How full of 
pathos are our Lord's words, especially when we 
consider His persistent efforts to get Judas to 
share the same spiritual vision that He was seek- 
ing to impart to the rest of His disciples ! "But 
there are some of you that believe not." The 
measure of a man's love is determined by his 
faith. Great faith bespeaks a great love. There 
are two kinds of unbelief, intellectual and emo- 
tional. They are intimately related. When one 
dies the coffin may be ordered for the other. Of 
intellectual unbelief we have very little to fear. 
What we do need to fear, and that persistently, 
is infidelity of the heart. This is where Judas 
fell down. He ceased to love ardently, passion- 
ately, and his affections which had been bestowed 
upon his Lord were transferred. It follows with 
unerring precision that when a man ceases to 
love the Lord with a strong, healthy devotion, 
he ceases to live as every lover should live. In 
pleading for a whole-hearted devotion of our- 
selves to Christ it may not be amiss to say, "Thou 



A Moral Tragedy II7 



shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, 
with all thy mind, and with all thy might." Let 
us beware of "infidelity of the heart!" We never 
know where it may lead. What a sorry sight to 
see a man transferring his love for the Lord to 
"the love of money." 

How thoroughly Judas was out of sympathy 
with Christ and His Teaching is evidenced by his 
remarks at Bethany when Mary opened an ala- 
baster box of ointment "and anointed the feet 
of Jesus!" "Why was not this ointment sold for 
three hundred pence, and given to the poor?" 
He was quite insensible to the fragrance of 
Mary's immortal deed. He begrudged the loss 
of three hundred pence, and received a well- 
deserved rebuke from the Master. John throws 
a flood of light on the besetting sin of Judas when 
he replies, "This he said, not that he cared for 
the poor; but because he was a thief, and had the 
bag, and bare what was put therein." By this 
time Judas had sunk so low that he was dis- 
honest. He had cultivated the pernicious habit 
of pilfering. He waxed worse and worse until 
Jesus said, "One of you is a devil," but every 
warning was heard by Judas without the slightest 
concern. In that eloquent act of our Lord, when 
He washed the feet of His disciples. He washed 
the feet of Judas. Yes! He washed the feet of 
one who was already contemplating His betrayal. 
That was enough to soften a heart of stone, but 
there was no response from Judas. When He 



ii8 



Soul Crises 



had finished the Lord said, "Ye are clean, but 
not all." Shortly after He was troubled in spirit, 
and testified, and said, "Verily, verily, I say unto 
you, that one of you shall betray me." This 
startling intimation filled the hearts of those 
eleven honest men with dismay and fearing lest 
they might be foiled by the deceitfulness of their 
own hearts they eagerly asked, "Lord, is it I?" 
They were all deeply grieved but Judas, and it 
seems after the question had gone the rounds 
that, to save his face, he said; not, "Lord, is it 
I?" but, "Is it I, Rabbi?" The breach was 
widening between him and the Master. Our 
Lord's reply is full of significance. "What thou 
hast said, there is no need for me to say." 

It is painfully apparent that when a man is 
untrue to Christ he becomes untrue to himself, 
he loses his self-respect, he sacrifices his honour, 
and after that he is capable of anything, even 
treachery and suicide. All previous entreaties, 
all previous warnings have failed, and now the 
final crisis has come. What will Judas do? Will 
he confess the detestable part he has been play- 
ing? Not he! He receives the sop, goes "im- 
mediately out, and it was night." The blackness 
of that awful night has never been reheved. It 
is always night when a man turns his back upon 
the Lord Jesus Christ. Up to this time Judas 
had been tempted of the devil. Now he who long 
ago transferred his affections, transfers his ser- 
vices from Christ to Satan. He becomes demon- 



A Moral Tragedy 



possessed. And not content with deserting he de- 
termines to betray the Master with a kiss for 
thirty pieces of silver. Can you imagine a deed 
more unspeakable? 

Yet Judas does not stand alone. You regard 
such an act as his with abhorrence, but Judas did 
not become a traitor in a day. This soul tragedy 
can be traced to waning zeal, to disloyalty to 
Christ. What of your affections? Where are 
they placed? Do you love gold more than you 
love God? Is your creed "Get money honestly if 
you can, but get it?" Beware! "What?" you 
say, "are you charging respectable people with be- 
traying Christ?" Yes! We have betrayed Him, 
and often for less than thirty pieces of silver. 

One more glance at Judas. "When he saw" 
Jesus condemned the full significance of his 
diabolical deed, burst in upon him, and rushing 
into the presence of the chief priests, he cried, 
"I have sinned in that I have betrayed the inno- 
cent blood." He threw down the money and 
then went out and hanged himself. How heart- 
rending is the last sermon Judas preached! "I 
have betrayed innocent blood." O Judas, why 
didst thou not turn and glance at the Saviour? 
His look might have broken thy heart, as it 
broke Peter's heart, and thou mightest have been 
saved, even in the eleventh hour! Christ did not 
expel Judas. He left Christ, and the last word 
recorded of him is, that he went "to his own 
place." That, and no other, in the end, will we 



I20 



Soul Crises 



all find. What place are we preparing for? The 
money we sell our souls for, we are going to 
leave behind, so that those who led us as oxen 
to the slaughter may buy an "Aceldama," a "field 
of blood." As we meditate upon the tragic close 
of a career that opened so full of promise, let us 
remember that disloyalty may end in disaster, and 
reverently pray 



"More love to Thee, O Christ, 
More love to Thee!" 



CHAPTER IX 



A RECALL, OR THE MAN WHO CAME BACK 
Go . . . tell His disciples and Peter.— M2Lrk XVI, 7. 

IN the gospels the character of Peter is very 
early portrayed. He is shown to us in his 
glory on the heights, also in the valley, crest- 
fallen and ashamed. That we may form a true 
estimate of his worth, all sides of his character 
are brought under our gaze. He comes on the 
scene a sturdy fisherman, he plays a dramatic part, 
and makes his exit from the stage as a martyr. 
He made huge blunders, but these must not blind 
us to the fact that he was a great man, he was 
a diamond in the rough, and he did a work for 
God, the greatness and extent of which eternity 
alone will fully reveal. Let us consider briefly 
his life and work. Before we venture to criticise 
Peter, it will be necessary for us to recall our own 
experience to see if it has all been sunshine, if it 
has all been singing, if it has been one long un- 
interrupted triumph. If it has, we will not be 
able to sympathize with the failings of Peter. It 
will be quite foreign to us why he so often made 
mistakes. But if our experience has not been a 
brilliant achievement, if there have been times 

121 



122 



Soul Crises 



in our Christian career when we felt like stealing 
away into the darkness rather than walking in 
the light, if w^e have been down in the valley 
through some humiliating experience, if since we 
began to serve God we have had dark days as 
well as bright, then there are some useful lessons 
to be taught us by the ups and downs of Peter. 

To begin with, let us look at his devotion. His 
devotion may be summed up in his call, his 
candour, his courage, and his confession. Before 
he became a disciple he was arrested by the fiery 
preaching of John the Baptist. The message of 
that stern preacher of righteousness made a pro- 
found impression upon Peter. He became an 
ardent seeker for the Truth. To his habits of 
temperance and frugality, he added the habit of 
piety. He identified himself with the great 
preacher of righteousness. He listened with awe 
to every message, and his imagination was fired 
by the prospect of the coming of the mighty one 
who would baptize with the Holy Ghost and with 
fire. 

One day Andrew, his brother, w^ith a new light 
in his eye and a new ring in his voice, came and 
said, "We have found Him," and he took Peter 
to Jesus. Jesus was impressed with Peter as 
soon as He saw him, and gave him the name by 
which we know him. As yet Peter was not an 
apostle, but he was a Christian, and when, some 
months later, Jesus passed by the place where 
Andrew and Peter were fishing. He called them. 



A Recall, or the Man Who Came Back 123 



"And straightway they left their nets, and fol- 
lowed Him." When Christ called, Peter was 
ready. Without hesitation or reluctance, he left 
all. He did not begin to weigh the pros and 
cons, he knew that the Person who had captured 
his affections wanted his services, and straightway 
he followed Him. 

What did it mean for Peter to respond to the 
call of Christ? Some people say it did not mean 
much, as he had not much to leave. However 
that may be, he was whole-hearted in his response. 
On another occasion he said, ''Lo ! we have left 
all and followed Thee." Whatever that all was 
it would cost an effort to leave it. There were 
his boat and his nets, and with these he had 
earned his living. But whatever the cost, what- 
ever the sacrifice, Christ calls. Therefore fare- 
well boats, nets, and friends, henceforth I am go- 
ing to follow Jesus. Can we say we have left 
all? 

Peter's immediate response to Christ's call was 
prophetic. He always decided quickly. He was 
essentially a man of action. His candour was 
sublime. He was so natural and exuberant that 
wherever he put in an appearance the place be- 
came instinct with life. There was a delightful 
uncertainty about Peter. We are not always sure 
what he will do or say, but we can count on his 
doing or saying something. The social instinct 
was strongly developed in him. He was easy to 
get acquainted with, and when he comes upon the 



124 



Sotil Crises 



scene we begin to feel at home. Peter was almost 
a total stranger to reserve. Some good people 
maintain that Peter talked too much. Perhaps so, 
but if a certain few talk too much in the Lord's 
presence, do not a great many of us talk too httle? 
We are indebted to Peter for talking. If he had 
not done so we would not have had such an in- 
teresting new Testament. We know more about 
Peter than any of the disciples. He had an 
honesty of purpose, and an integrity of soul that 
we cannot but admire. One day the Lord bor- 
rowed Peter's boat, "and He sat down, and 
taught the people out of the ship." When He 
had finished speaking He asked Peter to launch 
out into the deep, and let down the nets for a 
draught. With dehghtful candour he said, 
"Master, we have toiled all the night, and have 
taken nothing, nevertheless at Thy word I will 
let down the net." 'I am an experienced fisher- 
man, and I don't think it's any use, but we'll try 
it anyway" "And when they had this done, they 
enclosed a great multitude of fishes : and their net 
brake." Peter was astonished beyond measure. 
He felt he was in the presence of the Master 
Fisherman; One who knew infinitely more about 
fishing than he did. 

Peter's courage was as pronounced as his 
candour. While faith was struggling into being 
in timorous souls, Peter's was learning to walk. 
His courageous venture upon the water was 
simply grand. He is the only fisherman so far as 



A Recall, or the Man Who Came Back 125 

my knowledge goes, who has the unique distinc- 
tion of having walked upon the water. He was 
ready at a moment's notice to put Christ to the 
test, and by so doing achieved the impossible. It 
is of the very nature of faith to attempt and ac- 
complish the impossible. O that Christ may be 
as real to us as he was to Peter! 

Peter's courage was one of the chief elements 
of his character, but even his courage pales be- 
fore his confession. When told by His disciples, 
of the controversy among the people as to who 
He was, Jesus asked His disciples, and Peter 
answered and said, "Thou art the Christ, the son 
of the living God." His confession marks an 
epoch in the training of the twelve. There was 
a loyalty about Peter, he was a born leader and 
his devotion to his Lord left nothing to be de- 
sired. He enjoyed fellowship with Jesus for 
three years. He laboured faithfully to extend the 
Kingdom, went on a missionary tour, and even 
cast out devils in the name of Christ. 

Some of us were brought to Christ in a similar 
manner to Peter. Some John the Baptist alarmed 
us by the announcement that even now the axe 
was laid at the root of the tree, that the advent 
of a new order was at hand, and before our won- 
dering eyes, he cried, "Behold the Lamb of God!" 
Or some Andrew, some modest but enterprising 
Andrew, came and said, "We have found the 
Messias," and he brought us to Jesus. Like 
Peter we may have done great things for God. 



126 



Soul Crises 



We may have preached the gospel and even cast 
out devils in the name of Christ. We may have 
known Christ more than three years, and our 
devotion to our Master may be unquestionable, 
but possibly, like Peter we have yet many things 
to learn. 

Shall we now take a look at Peter's mistakes. 
Peter was very self-reliant. He had a great 
amount of confidence regarding his own ability. 
Peter to him was a very important person. He 
sometimes tried to dispute the point with the 
Master and because of his self-assertiveness, he 
often descended quickly from the mount into the 
valley. After his inspiring revelation from 
heaven regarding the divinity of his Lord, Christ 
said, "Blessed are thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh 
and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my 
Father which is in heaven." Immediately after 
this hearty commendation, the Lord began to 
speak of what He must suffer in Jerusalem. And 
Peter, who had not yet learned that we pass 
through death into life, "began to rebuke Him 
saying, 'Be it far from Thee, Lord : this shall not 
be unto Thee.' But He turned, and said unto 
Peter, 'Get thee behind Me, Satan; thou art an 
offence unto Me; for thou savourest not the 
things that be of God, but those that be of men.' " 

On another occasion our Lord went up into 
a mountain, taking with Him Peter and James 
and John, and was transfigured before them. 
Moses and Elias appeared, and Peter wanted to 



A Recall, or the Man Who Came Back 127 

build three tabernacles. This was a great 
blunder. A Christ always on the transfigured 
mount would not be able to meet the needs of 
perplexed disciples, a distracted father and a 
demon-possessed boy below. A transfiguration 
experience, without contact with the struggling 
world, would be a delightful experience, no doubt, 
but it would not tend to make Peter a very strong 
or a very useful saint. I believe Peter fully in- 
tended to prove himself a valiant Christian sol- 
dier when he said, "Though all men shall be of- 
fended because of Thee, yet will I never be of- 
fended." But Peter did not know himself as 
his Lord knew him. He had great lessons in 
humility to learn before he could be of any real 
service to Christ. When the disciples were con- 
tending who should be greatest, Peter was one 
who thought he had a right to the first place. 

As the earthly career of our Lord neared its 
close He warned Peter that he would deny Him, 
but Peter protested, "Though I should die with 
Thee, yet will I not deny Thee." The next scene 
is in Gethsemane. The Lord was exceeding sor- 
rowful, and if ever He needed the sympathy and 
prayers of His disciples it was then. Peter was 
one who was asked to watch and pray while the 
Master underwent His dreaded experience. An 
hour elapsed, and the Lord returned to find 
Peter, what? Sharing with Him in sweating 
great drops of blood? Pouring forth his en- 
treaties to God that He will strengthen His 



128 



Soul Crises 



Master? This same Peter who a few hours be- 
fore declared his readiness to die with Him — 
how does He find him? Does He find the en- 
thusiastic Peter praying and prevailing before 
God? Alas, No! A great change has passed 
over Peter. He is asleep ! This is the sign of 
a threatening storm. The enemies of the Son 
of God are at hand. He is betrayed, Peter 
awakes and follows afar off. The inevitable 
result follows. The storm breaks, and Peter the 
great is fallen. He denies his Master in this 
grave crisis. He loses his courage and his honour 
before an insinuating maid. "Then began he to 
curse and to swear, saying, 'I know not the man.' 
And immediately the cock crew." 

As the followers of Christ, none of us have 
reached absolute perfection. There was a time 
when we thought we were nearing perfection, 
but now we see it afar. Like Peter, we have 
made mistakes. When we have attended a trans- 
figuration convention we almost have forgotten 
the perishing multitudes. When we first began 
to serve the Lord we thought we were somebody, 
and we determined to live a life minus mistakes. 
We had great revelations of God's goodness and 
at times we did exploits. With Peter we felt 
like saying, "Though all men forsake Thee, yet 
will not I." But have we lived up to our ideals? 
No ! When we were most urgently needed to 
charge the forces of unrighteousness; when it 
was imperative for us to come up to the help of 



A Recall, or the Man Who Came Back 129 



the Lord against the mighty, we failed. And, 
we must confess the scandal before high Heaven, 
we were asleep ! The Lord have mercy upon 
us I 

And bad as that was, there is something even 
worse. Some of us are asleep now! Can it be 
that we form part of a sleeping church? This is 
an alarming state of affairs. The church asleep 
and the devil awake. May God in His mercy 
arouse us from our slumbers! We have ne- 
glected to watch and pray, we have walked afar 
off, we have denied our Lord. What a ship- 
wreck we have made of it! How we wish we 
had given more heed to the danger signal, "Let 
him that thinketh he standeth, take heed lest he 
fall." Like Peter, by our negligence and selfish- 
ness we have thrown our crowns in the dust. 

Let us now look at Peter's repentance. Peter 
was in the mire, his fall had been real and great. 
But he had not dropped out of his Master's sight, 
for in the very act of denying his Master, "the 
Lord turned, and looked upon Peter." Only a 
look! — a look of injured love — but it broke 
Peter's heart. That never to be forgotten look 
reminded Peter of his Lord's warning words. 
"And Peter went out and wept bitterly." What 
anguish! What bitterness crushed his spirit! 
What have I done? I have basely denied my 
Lord! Can there be any forgiveness for such 
cowardice at such a time as this? There He is 
in the midst of the soldiers ! Look ! They smite 



130 



Soul Crises 



Him ! they spit upon Him, and, oh ! horrible to 
relate, they have crucified Him, but mine is the 
greater sin; for I have not merely forsaken Him 
but denied Him ! Now I am of all men most 
miserable for Christ is dead and the last word 
He heard from my lips was one of base denial. 
What! Christ dead! No! Peter. He lives 
and He has sent you a message, ''Go, tell my 
disciples and Peter I go before you into Galilee: 
there shall ye see me." It's just like Him to send 
a message like that, and although covered with 
confusion I am going to Him. Yes Peter! Go 
direct to Jesus! As soon as He saw him, the 
Lord saw that Peter was a changed man. Three 
times He asked him the same question, "Simon 
Peter, son of Jonas, lovest thou me?" Peter con- 
fessed his love, and in reply to the question asked 
for the third time said, "Lord, Thou knowest 
all things; thou knowest that I love thee." If 
we have sinned, let us with Peter return unto the 
Lord. He is waiting to forgive us, and will re- 
member our sins against Him no more. He wants 
every one of us to help in the extension of His 
kingdom. 

This time we leave Peter in a prayer meeting. 
He is in the right place and if we are going to 
be of use to our Master, we cannot do better 
than to join him. Let us now briefly look at 
Peter's wonderful career after Pentecost. Peter 
is one of those who has been told to wait for the 
promise of the Father. "And when the day of 



A Recall, or the Man Who Came Back 131 

Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one 
accord in one place. And suddenly there came 
a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty 
wind, and it filled all the house where they were 
sitting. And there appeared unto them cloven 
tongues, like as of fire, and it sat upon each of 
them: and they were all filled with the Holy 
Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as 
the spirit gave them utterance." A remarkable 
change has been wrought in Peter. He has been 
transformed by the power of the Holy Ghost. 
He is now fully instructed; fully equipped for 
service and to work he goes with a will. 

Spirit-filled Christians could not hide in ob- 
scurity. They came forth, and were soon the 
centre of attraction. As they proclaimed the 
gospel message, the people were amazed and 
marvelled, saying one to another, "What meaneth 
this?" "Others mocking said, 'These men are 
full of new wine.' " New wine has been responsi- 
ble for a great many demonstrations, but these 
men are intoxicated with the wine of God. Peter 
began to preach. To his wondering audience he 
said, "These men are not filled with wine as ye 
suppose, seeing it is but the third hour of the day. 
But this is that which was spoken by the prophet 
Joel: 'And it shall come to pass in the last days, 
saith God, I will pour out of My Spirit upon all 
flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall 
prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, 
and your old men shall dream dreams.' " Peter 



132 



Soul Crises 



preached a sermon such as the people had never 
heard. He charged them with the death of the 
Son of God, and told how God had raised Him 
up to be both Lord and Christ. He preached 
with such power that his hearers were pricked in 
their hearts and cried out to Peter, and the rest 
of the apostles, ''Men and brethren what shall 
we do ?" As a result of that sermon about three 
thousand people believed, but this was only the 
beginning of Peter's wonderful career. 

Now he naturally became a recognized leader 
in the Christian church. He proved himself to 
be both courageous and courteous. To him fell 
that honour of opening a door to the Gentiles. 
To him we are greatly indebted for the gospel ac- 
cording to St. Mark, he wrote two epistles, and 
eventually died as a martyr. 

Peter's career is most encouraging to those 
who realize they have failed, and who are de- 
termined to come back. Thank God for the re- 
claimed Peters ! O you Peters ! what powers 
are slumbering in your nature ! What glory yet 
awaits you! Come back! Christ is calling for 
you. Seek His face, seek the fulness of the spirit, 
wait upon God until you too are baptized with 
the Holy Ghost. 

And what shall I say more? Are we not all 
Peters? And the tragedy of our Christian ex- 
perience is that we not only have denied our 
Lord, but in too many instances we are living on 
the wrong side of Pentecost. "Have ye received 



A Recall, or the Man Who Came Back 133 



the Holy Ghost since ye believed?" May our 
Father in heaven baptize us now and send us 
forth, like Peter, to see "signs and wonders 
wrought in the name of Jesus." 



CHAPTER X 



CHRISTIAN ATHLETES 



They that luait upon the Lord shall reneu: their strength; 
they shall mount up ivith wings as eagles; they shall run and 
not be weary, and they shall walk, and not faint. — Is, XL, 31. 



HIS is one of the many passages contain- 



ing such a wealth of suggestion that one is 
at a loss which line to follow. When we look 
into the heart of this verse we see strength and 
wings, also the promise of walking, or even run- 
ning without faintness or fatigue. It provokes 
thought along so many avenues that I have de- 
cided to take you along one known to the athlete. 
Strength and wings, energy and endurance, what- 
ever-else they suggest, they are indispensable to 
every would-be athlete. There are very few 
healthy people who do not admire the athlete. 
He is so strong, his body is so well-proportioned, 
his muscles are so well-developed, and he is so 
clever as to captivate the eye and win the ap- 
plause of all who hope to win their laurels. The 
grace and ease with which the scratch man wins 
the race arouses the enthusiasm of one and all. 
Great hopes are entertained, and extravagant de- 
mands are made upon a favourite athlete, by his 




Christian Athletes 



135 



loyal supporters. Should the athletic reputation 
of the town, school, or college be at stake, they 
centre their hopes in him. And when he goes 
into the race, he goes in not merely for exercise, 
or to trifle with the reputation of his school. He 
goes in with one grim determination, and that is 
to win. When the race has been won, and the 
threatened reputation saved, all the students are 
simply deHrious with dehght. He is the hero of 
the occasion, and is lionized by all with whom he 
is identified. 

But sometimes a star performer miserably fails 
to justify the hopes centred in him. There may 
be various reasons for this, but as a rule there 
is only one. A wise athlete runs no unnecessary 
risks, he underestimates himself rather than 
otherwise. He is faithful in his daily exercises. 
He studies his weak points, and seeks to over- 
come them by diligent practice. On the day of 
the race he is cool and collected. His previous 
faithfulness is a guarantee of his being in good 
form. But while some men at the beginning of 
their career underestimate themselves, after a 
few easy wins the majority develop an unwar- 
ranted confidence. Samson-like they abuse their 
strength, and vainly argue that what they have 
done before, they can do again. They wist not 
that their strength is departed. It is a humihat- 
ing moment when a popular favourite becomes 
conscious that he has more than met his match, 
and as a result of his own folly is being outdis- 



136 



Soul Crises 



tanced in the race by a much inferior competitor. 
The excuses of loyal supporters only intensify 
the remorse of the man who is painfully aware 
that he is now a good "has-been," and that be- 
cause of his own neglect. 

This is a parable of the Children of Israel at 
the time of this prophecy. As a people they en- 
joyed the distinction of having been divinely or- 
dained a nation. By signal acts God had identi- 
fied Himself with His people. They had a unique 
history. They had won many laurels as the 
chosen athletes of God. Their uncompromising 
fidelity to truth and righteousness had given them 
prestige. God had put the fear of them into the 
hearts of all possible rivals. They enjoyed many 
exceeding great and precious promises. God had 
intimated that His athletes were to run to some 
purpose. "One would chase a thousand, and two 
would put ten thousand to flight." In their best 
days they figured in many thrilling events. As 
spiritual athletes they had broken the religious 
record. And brilHant as had been the achieve- 
ments of the past, greater glories yet awaited 
them. But alas ! They became careless and in- 
different. They gradually neglected the steady 
practice of righteousness, and withal, regarded 
all possible rivals with haughty contempt. Amid 
present prosperity, they forgot their Trainer, and 
distinguished athletes became more of a memory 
than a reality. They were guilty of the common 
sin of presuming on their past. Consequently 



Christian Athletes 



137 



they went down to defeat and shame 

The prophecy beginning with the fortieth chap- 
ter of Isaiah was delivered to Israelitish captives 
in a strange land. They had miserably disap- 
pointed the high hopes entertained of them, and 
as they sat by the rivers of Babylon, they were 
painfully conscious that they were good "has- 
beens." Like the crestfallen ex-champion who 
has suffered defeat through folly, they hung their 
harps upon the willow trees. 

But granting that an athlete has sinned against 
himself as Israel had sinned against God, if he 
be a true and worthy man he is not content to 
drift down to disgrace and ruin. He pulls him- 
self together, faces the situation with candour, 
forsakes the evils which contributed to his defeat, 
and determines to transform present defeat into 
personal conquest and future glory. Perhaps 
there is nothing more pathetic and inspiring than 
to see a man, a good "has-been," trying to come 
back. 

Israel in exile had leisure enough to think. 
They thought with pain of their past. They re- 
gretted their folly and into the sphere of their 
servitude came a man who reminded them of 
their glorious past, he also told them if they 
would they could come back. They looked at 
him with eyes which had gazed into the abyss of 
despair. They had a renowned history, but their 
national glory was gone. They were not equal 
to the demands made on their strength. The race 



138 



Soul Crises 



was so trying that even their youths were faint 
and weary, while some of their young men in 
endeavouring to gain the lead had fallen in their 
tracks. To those who once ran well, the prophet 
proclaimed the one sure method by which they 
could come back, and gain even greater distinc- 
tion than they had enjoyed in the past. "They 
that wait upon the Lord shall renew their 
strength; they shall mount up with wings as 
eagles ; they shall run and not be weary, and they 
shall walk and not faint." 

If we are at all acquainted with the needs of 
our own nature, we will not wish to tarry just 
now to discuss the question whether there was 
only one Isaiah or two. We will appreciate the 
significance of this prophecy, and feel deep down 
in our hearts, that Israel's history is our own. 
We will not discuss the question of how or when 
we entered the contest. Doubtless we all entered 
for the Christian race full of vigour and en- 
thusiasm. We were determined to run straight, 
we were indifferent to the crowds, we had our 
eyes fixed upon the Leader and Crowner of the 
race, and, although we are loathe to confess it, 
we distinguished ourselves as we ran in the way 
of God's commandments. But, sad to relate, al- 
though we kept up great speed for a while, we 
gradually slackened our pace, and were guilty of 
something that no whole-hearted athlete is guilty 
of, we turned around to see how the other com- 
petitors were progressing, and when we saw so 



Christian Athletes 



139 



many circumspect people walking leisurely be- 
hind, we thought we had been going too fast. 
Having taken our eye off the magnetic Leader, 
other objects began to attract our attention, and 
we lingered. Since then instead of running 
straight on, we have been running across the 
track, inspecting its borders, and sometimes won- 
dering if it would not be easier to run with the 
multitude to do evil. We have got tangled up 
with the cares of this present world, and beyond 
an occasional sprint, we have not been getting up 
much speed lately. The race has been teUing 
upon us. We are weak and languid and only an 
imitation of our former selves. We have been 
hopelessly outdistanced by those who ran straight 
on, without deviation to the right hand or to the 
left. To tell the truth, we are often tempted to 
give up, and although we mean to keep on, we 
are sadly conscious that we are capable of a 
better performance. What we need is the old 
incentive that we had at the beginning of our ath- 
letic career to urge us forward. We will find 
the true incentive to increased speed where we 
left it. "They that wait upon the Lord shall re- 
new their strength; they shall mount up with 
wings as eagles, they shall run and not be weary, 
and they shall walk and not faint." 

Let us note carefully the instructions given, to 
see the requirements and possibilities of all Chris- 
tian athletes. Everything hinges upon our atti- 
tude. Therefore let us learn what our attitude 



140 



Soul Crises 



should be. "They that wait upon the Lord shall 
renew their strength." We are to "wait upon 
the Lord." We all know what it means to wait. 
Have we not occasionally made an appointment 
with a certain party, to meet at a given hour? 
We have gone to the place at the specified time, 
but the other party has not yet arrived. After 
an elapse of fifteen minutes, we begin to get rest- 
less, and should the other party put in an appear- 
ance an hour late we are simply furious, that is 
if we are still there. But the full meaning of 
waiting is by no means exhausted by the method 
which exhausts our patience. An athlete, who is 
expecting to compete in a great event, is not likely 
to be standing around waiting for something to 
turn up. Nor should idle and unprofitable wait- 
ing have any part in the program of those who 
wish to excel in the Christian contest. Let us 
revise our notions of waiting. It is possible to 
wait upon a person while he is engaged in con- 
versation with us. This is always true of the 
Lord, He is always there and ready to be en- 
quired of. By appointment we wait upon a 
lawyer for advice, or upon a doctor for medical 
attention. At a given time the athlete waits upon 
his trainer, to receive instruction and also to un- 
dergo strenuous practice. From the athlete we 
may learn some useful lessons. If he is prepar- 
ing for an event which will decide the champion- 
ship of the Dominion he is faithful and dihgent. 
He takes nothing for granted. And we ought at 



Christian Athletes 



141 



least to be as faithful and diligent as he: for we 
are preparing to "adorn the doctrine of God our 
Saviour in all things." To do this effectively our 
waiting upon God will need to be freed from the 
haphazard periods, the spasmodic efforts of the 
past. Faithfulness is more to be desired than 
genius. Let us cultivate the fine art of waiting. 
At a given hour every day, let us wait upon the 
Lord in prayer and meditation. Waiting upon 
the Lord is not enough if it be merely formal. 
As the most difficult feats of the athlete are per- 
formed in private, so must it be with us. We 
must strive to realize the presence of God and 
agonize until we renew our strength. 

The athlete is able to appear to advantage 
in the contest, because he has been drilled and 
tested behind the scenes. This has been the un- 
failing method of the athletes of God. During 
the most trying and eventful periods of His 
earthly ministry, as others were retiring to sleep, 
our Lord would retire to a mountain, and spend 
the whole night in prayer. In the birth pangs 
of the Reformation, Luther said he had so much 
to do that he could never begin to accomplish it 
unless he spent three hours a day in prayer. 
Luther waited upon the Lord, and this was the 
secret of his strength, when on his way to Worms, 
to appear before the Roman Catholic tribunal. 
His timorous friends fearing foul play, sought 
to dissuade him. Luther replied to the effect, 
that if there were as many devils as there were 



142 



Soul Crises 



tiles on the housetops, en route, he would defy 
them all to go and answer the charges brought 
against him. No athlete of any consequence is 
always exhibiting his powers. He may practise 
three months for one race. 

The most difficult lesson we have to learn is to 
wait. The trouble with too many of us is, that 
we are always on parade. Consequently our re- 
ligion, instead of being rooted and grounded in 
love, by patient and persistent waiting upon God 
in faith and prayer, is quite superficial. The only 
claim some of us have to be Christian athletes 
is a form of godliness. We n^ed more than the 
form, we need to receive such a steady influx of 
strength from God that we always may be as- 
sured of victory. Every man, who has done any- 
thing worth mentioning in the world, has con- 
quered before the battle was fought, has won the 
race before it was run, and if we are to dis- 
tinguish ourselves, as did Enoch and David and 
Paul, we must cultivate the art of waiting upon 
the Lord. Everything depends upon our attitude, 
for only those who wait upon the Lord renew 
their strength. 

How sensible is the message of the prophet! 
Those who have a surface knowledge of religion 
tell you it is a fragile thing and its confessors 
weak. We have not so learned Christ. When 
the great evangelical prophet of the exile came 
to a people prostrated by weakness, he told them 
how they could receive strength, strength to run 



Christian Athletes 



143 



the race God had set before them. Strength! 
Robust, manly strength is what we all require. 
St. Paul says, "Be ye strong in the Lord and in 
the power of His might." Martin Luther said, 
"God wants strong men and He cannot do with- 
out them." 

"They that wait upon the Lord shall renew 
their strength." There are various ways in which 
we may wait. Our waiting may be in some quiet 
retreat or in the midst of our daily task. Let us 
cultivate both methods: for only thus will our 
attitude be one of perpetual waiting. Let nothing 
interfere with your stated periods of devotion. 
Take time to meet with God in private, but do 
not rest content with these occasional interviews. 
It is your privilege to wait upon God by medita- 
tion as you are in the midst of your affairs. By 
all means cultivate this attitude by being re- 
sponsive to the promptings of the Holy Spirit, 
and you will rejoice as a strong man to run a 
race. 

"They that wait upon the Lord shall renew 
their strength; they shall mount up with wings 
as eagles." Here it is made plain, that our atti- 
tude determines the atmosphere we are to breathe. 
The strong wings and the penetrating eye of 
the eagle suggest the calm, clear, bracing atmos- 
phere in which we are to move. The athlete lives 
in an atmosphere higher than the rabble. One 
of the first impressions we receive of a champion 
is that he is head and shoulders above his fel- 



144 



Soul Crises 



lows. He is in a class far above many of his 
enthusiastic supporters. Even though he might 
be given to habits of indulgence he cheerfully for- 
goes them, to give himself a chance. The athletes 
of God move in a higher atmosphere still. They 
are "in the world but not of it." They walk in 
the light as He is in the light. Here the atmos- 
phere is clear, and we enjoy fellowship with the 
Father and with His son Jesus Christ. The alti- 
tude may be high but it is safe. It is a boon to 
be up here, for by faith we can see the hills of 
God, and the atmosphere is bracing. Up here 
in the clear, calm, bracing atmosphere of faith 
and prayer we can see the "city which hath 
foundations, whose builder and maker is God." 
It was in this glorious atmosphere that the stal- 
wart athletes of old lived and moved and had 
their being. "These all died in faith, not having 
received the promises, but having seen them afar 
off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced 
them, and confessed that they w^ere strangers and 
pilgrims on the earth." Oh, you who are sitting 
in weariness, down in the valleys, come up here 
and fill your lungs with the fresh air of heaven. 
Those of us who are even slightly acquainted 
with the hill country of God, say with Peter, 
"Lord, it is good for us to be here." 

Do you want to know how to get up? "They 
that wait upon the Lord shall renew their 
strength; they shall mount up with wings as 
eagles; they shall run and not be weary, and 



Christian Athletes 



145 



walk and not faint." If, as we have seen, our 
attitude determines the atmosphere we breathe, it 
also determines our ability. The two indispens- 
able elements which determine the career of an 
athlete are energy and endurance, and these are 
promised to all Christian athletes. 

In these days we hear a great deal about com- 
parative religion. Certain individuals, in their 
ignorance, would like to impress upon us that the 
older religions are as good as Christianity. We 
joyfully recognize and appreciate all the good in 
these ancient religions. But when we begin to 
study them we get tired, and there is nothing in 
the dead religions of the past to arouse us from 
our spiritual inertia, and that is what the world 
out of Christ is dying of to-day. The secret of 
the Lord is with them that fear Him. Christ is 
not a dead religious thinker, whose memory we 
revere. He is a living Person who in resurrec- 
tion triumph, is teaching us how to distinguish 
ourselves upon the Christian course. He is set- 
ting the pace for us, and insists that we follow 
His steps. Christianity is more than a set of 
rules, it is a life. It is a race to be run, a con- 
quest to be achieved. Of ourselves we are weak, 
in our own strength we cannot even figure in the 
race, but the strength which God supplies through 
His eternal Son gives us energy to run and not 
be weary. As Christian athletes, remember the 
race is not to the swift, but to those who continue 
to the end. 



CHAPTER XI 



A MORAL CRISIS 



Behold this dreamer cometh. — Gen. XXXVII, 19. 

HIS was an expression of contempt. It 



A was born of envy. It was spoken in de- 
rision. It was meant to be a brand, it was worn 
as a laurel. It gives us an insight into the char- 
acter of Jacob's sons. They were hard-headed, 
matter-of-fact men. They believed in wheat and 
sheep, but they had no use for dreams. They 
had all breathed the same atmosphere, for they 
were all the sons of Jacob. They all had the 
benefit of his training, yet they were as opposite 
as the poles. They lived in one world, Joseph in 
another. "Behold this dreamer cometh." Their 
designation of Joseph was calculated to hold him 
up to ridicule. 

It is ever the way of the world. When we dis- 
cover one of our associates taking exception to 
our moral discrepancies, and reminding us of our 
moral responsibilities, we christen him with some 
absurd name. He becomes the butt of our jests, 
and we sharpen our wits at his expense. We de- 
ride and pity him as we see him setting out on 




A Moral Crisis 



147 



his lonely way. Let a man live ever so little 
above the average, or act ever so little out of 
the ordinary, and he is labelled a dreamer or re- 
garded as a madman. But a true man, no matter 
how much he is exposed to rancour and abuse, 
will survive the epithets of shame and transform 
the stigma into a badge of distinction. 

The brethren of our Lord, instead of giving 
heed to His message, sought to lay hold of Him 
saying, "He is beside Llimself." The scribes said, 
"He hath Beelzebub, and by the prince of the 
devils casteth He out devils." The Pharisees 
sought to cover Him with ignomy by circulating 
the report, "He is the friend of publicans and 
sinners." "He receiveth sinners and eateth with 
them," is the distinctive glory of our blessed 
Lord. On more occasions than one, St, Paul was 
declared to be mad. To this charge he replied 
in those memorable words, "For whether we be 
beside ourselves it is to God, or whether we be 
sober it is for your cause. For the love of Christ 
constraineth us." The name which we bear as be- 
lievers and which we associate with the highest 
dignity and glory was first given as a nickname 
by heathens. "The disciples were first called 
Christians at Antioch." 

Although Joseph's brethren spoke disparag- 
ingly, they designated him truly, "Behold this 
dreamer cometh." "Behold this dreamer 1" He 
is well worth looking at. The name with which 
he was labelled may suggest an aimless, shiftless 



148 



Soul Crises 



youth, unpractical and unprogressive, but such a 
conception is an injustice to Joseph. He was a 
combination of grace and power. He was cheer- 
ful and alert. He had a buoyancy of spirit and 
a tenacity of purpose which were crowned with an 
indestructible purity. He believed he had a part 
to play and resolved to fulfil his destiny. There- 
fore I ask you to, "Behold this dreamer." As 
we try to analyze his character we find him to be 
intensely spiritual. We readily think of a 
"master of dreams" having intercourse with the 
unseen. The dreamer believes that "the things 
which are seen are temporal, but the things which 
are not seen are eternal." 

At a glance we notice the contrast between 
Joseph and his brethren. He aspired to heights 
of which they never dreamed. He was spiritual, 
they were carnal. They believed in God in a 
general way, but they had no place in their creed 
for the miraculous. Their religious privileges 
descended as a kind of heirloom, and the order 
was as fixed as fate. According to their notions, 
God worked along the lines of natural selection, 
and briefly stated, it meant that the eldest son 
would succeed his father as patriarch. In the 
divine economy the first-born always has been 
honoured, but the first-born have not always ap- 
preciated the honour. Esau-like they have de- 
spised their birthright and from the natural heir 
God often had to turn to seek a man after His 
own heart. Whenever God has interfered with 



A Moral Crisis 



149 



natural selection His interference has been amply 
vindicated. 

Natural selection is very pronounced in human 
nature. Isaac was determined to bless Esau de- 
spite the fact that God had said, "The elder shall 
serve the younger." When Samuel came to 
anoint the future king of Israel, Jesse naturally 
introduced the first-born; and so sure was he that 
this time-honoured custom would be respected 
that he neglected to send word to the ruddy lad 
who was out in the field tending the sheep. There 
is a natural selection and there is a spiritual selec- 
tion. The eldest son naturally succeeds his 
father, irrespective of his moral standing, but 
when God chooses a man to do a great work, He 
does not consult the family register. He consults 
the human heart. God's choice of Joseph in- 
stead of Reuben has never been challenged. 
Whatever monopolies flourish in the world there 
is no monopoly of virtue. It matters not whether 
we are the first-born or the second-born; whether 
we are in the so-called patriarchal line, or the so- 
called apostolic succession, we are all blessed with 
a capacity for God. 

The difference between Joseph and his breth- 
ren is not to be explained by his genius and their 
deficiency, but in their deliberate choice. Joseph 
turned to God as the flower turns to the sun, his 
brethren turned to secular interests as the miser 
to his gold. What is occupying our attention? 

It is imperative for us to realise the tremendous 



150 



Sold Crises 



issues that will be decided by our youthful deci- 
sion. One thing is certain, you cannot reject and 
have. Therefore, beware of making the fatal 
mistake of throwing overboard the three graces, 
i.e., faith, and hope, and love. 

Joseph lived in close communion with God. 
God's will was the law of his life. He knew 
right from wrong and he adhered steadily to the 
right without deviation to the right hand or the 
left. The charm of his transparent life has been 
an inspiration to every successive lover of purity, 
and home, and God. 

Another outstanding feature in Joseph's char- 
acter was his patience. We can appreciate 
what kind of life he would have among his 
brethren after he, in his innocence, had told them 
his dreams. We can hear their rude laughter at 
his expense, as they jeer and taunt him about his 
dreams. We can see how their banter turns to 
hate until they deliberately contemplate murder. 
We cannot imagine Joseph's ever being made 
much of by his rude and envious brothers, but this 
we can gather from his history, he was patient. 
Patience is a virtue which is not cultivated in a 
night. It is of slow growth and only blooms in 
the atmosphere of genial submission to the will 
of God. When his brethren plagued and abused 
him, Joseph did not let his temper run away with 
him and disgrace himself to the delight of his tor- 
mentors. No ! He felt sorry for them because 
they had no more sense. He knew they did not 



A Moral Crisis 



believe in his dreams, but he believed in them, and 
was prepared to wait. He believed in himself; 
he believed in God, and he believed in the future. 

He was blessed with a cheerful disposition. 
He had a great many disagreeable experiences, 
but he had the happy art of seeing God in his 
afflictions, and although he suffered a great deal, 
he never murmured. He was a most agreeable 
companion whether in foreign service or in an 
Egyptian dungeon. "The Lord was with Jo- 
seph." This observation was made of him when 
he was in prison. 

The trouble with too many of us is that our 
religion does not admit of an occasional rainy 
day, or of a storm; we insist on having a cloud- 
less sky. When the clouds gather and the light- 
nings flash we begin to think that all is lost. In- 
stead of fretting, let us be submissive and patient, 
believing that our Father is with us whether we 
happen to be thrown into the prison of sorrow or 
adversity. Let us dare to believe, not merely 
that some things, but that ''all things work to- 
gether for good to them that love God." 

Another important feature in the character of 
Joseph was his industry. He was a serious stu- 
dent. He knew the history of his people, he saw 
God had a purpose in their history, and the more 
he meditated the more he became convinced that 
God had a purpose in his life, and he determined 
by faithful application to be ready for all His 
perfect will. Thus, instead of being an indolent 



152 



Soul Crises 



star-gazer, he was enterprising and aggressive. 
He could prepare for future usefulness only by 
the most assiduous application. He performed 
the most menial task with as much thoroughness 
as he exhibited later in his Egyptian administra- 
tion. When his father sent him to Shechem to 
see how his brothers and the flocks fared he went 
to the place. They were nowhere to be seen, and 
had he been of a careless, indolent disposition, he 
would have returned home with this intelligence, 
much to the annoyance of his father. But such a 
thought, as that of returning before he had dis- 
charged his duty faithfully, never crossed his 
mind. After satisfying himself that his brethren 
had left Shechem, he wandered about in the hope 
of finding them, until he met a man who casually 
had overheard them say, "Let us go to Dothan." 
So to Dothan he directed his steps little thinking 
how fraught with destiny his humble errand was. 
As he drew near, his brethren said one to an- 
other, "Behold, this dreamer cometh.'' 

Behold the Advent of the Dreamer! It is an 
epoch-making event when the dreamer appears 
above the horizon. The world can never be 
the same again after the dreamer has come. 
Time would fail to tell of a tithe of the immortal 
dreamers that have lived to bless the world. We 
will have to be content with noting a few at 
random. James Watt dreamed of the possibil- 
ity of utilizing steam-power and his dream is 
the abiding miracle of the commercial world. 



A Moral Crisis 153 

George Stephenson dreamed of the possibility 
of travelling by a faster method than was pos- 
sible with a coach and four. Fulton, the in- 
ventor of the steamship, dreamed of the possibil- 
ity of international commerce and on his death- 
bed he said, "Bury me beside the waters of the 
Ohio ; that I may hear in times to come the paddle 
wheels of the ships as they pass, bearing their 
commerce from land to land." Can the world 
ever be the same again after the advent of such 
dreamers as Robert Burns? Sir Walter Scott? 
Tennyson? Wordsworth? Longfellow? Thack- 
eray? Dickens? or Shakespeare? 

*'The poem hangs on the berry bush. 
Till comes the poet's eye, 
And the whole street is a masquerade, 
When Shakespeare passes by." 



Sir Humphry Davy dreamed of safety lamps 
for the toiling millions in the mines. Lord Lister 
dreamed of painless surgery, and Pierpont Lang- 
ley dreamed of the conquest of the air. 

These dreams have come true, but the most 
daring dream of all was dreamed by a young man 
in Galilee. He dreamed of a new world, wherein 
would dwell righteousness, and what is more. His 
dream is coming true. To-day, millions of the 
best blood of every land are prepared to die 
rather than deny His name. What are you 
dreaming about? Are you dreaming of great 



154 



Soul Crises 



things for yourself? Dream them not. Are you 
dreaming of what you can do for your fellows? 
Are you dreaming of the Christian conquest of 
the world? Then dream on! Believe in your 
dreams ! Act on your dreams ! They are com- 
ing true, "for the grace of God that bringeth sal- 
vation hath appeared to all men, teaching us that, 
denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should 
live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present 
world, looking for that blessed hope, and the 
glorious appearing of the great God and our 
Saviour Jesus Christ: who gave Himself for us, 
that He might redeem us from all iniquity, and 
purify unto Himself a peculiar people, zealous 
of good works." 

Behold the Reception of the Dreamer! Joseph's 
reception by his brethren is one of the many crises 
every man of worth must be prepared to meet. 
The story of what they deliberately contemplated 
and what they eventually did is one of the most 
heartrending in literature, and the pity is, it is 
not confined to literature, it is enacted in everyday 
life. You say you are not appreciated, your good 
is evil spoken of, reflection cast on your purest 
motives, your ideals laughed to scorn ! You are 
not alone. A similar experience to yours has been 
the lot of every noble soul that has trod the 
highway of God. Think it not strange if you are 
persistently misunderstood and misrepresented. 
Make sure that your dreams merit the approval 
of God and of time. Be content to live as a hero 



A Moral Crisis 



155 



and die as a martyr in a worthy cause. The 
eternal decree has gone forth: "No cross, no 
crown." The path of duty may lead you to the 
pit; to servitude, and the dungeon, but beyond 
these lies a blissful immortality. Galileo, the 
astronomer, who made one of the greatest dis- 
coveries ever made by man, was condemned to 
banishment, and his books burned. Socrates was 
poisoned for no worse sin than that of living in 
advance of his age. The Lord Christ was be- 
trayed and crucified. Many more of whom the 
world was not worthy have shared a similar fate, 
and still the work of rejection and crucifixion goes 
on. If you are going to wait until you are fully 
appreciated you will accomplish nothing and die 
"unwept, unhonoured and unsung." 

Behold the Conduct of the Dreamer ! Joseph's 
conduct will bear the most searching examination. 
His behaviour in his first and unexpected trial 
was prophetic of one of the greatest moral con- 
quests ever achieved by man. With what un- 
erring precision one thing leads to and depends 
upon another in the moral world. To this youth 
of seventeen years, life had assumed a great seri- 
ousness, hence he was never taken at a disad- 
vantage. Had Joseph been unable to govern his 
temper at seventeen he would have been unable 
to govern his passions in the great crisis of his 
life. But instead of displaying hatred and pour- 
ing forth a volume of abuse upon his brethren 
for their outrageous treatment of him, he im- 



1S6 



Soul Crises 



plored them with cries and tears to consider the 
nature of their deed, but all to no avail 1 "They 
sat down to eat and drink but were not grieved 
for the affliction of Joseph." The cold-blooded 
act of his brethren in bargaining with the Midi- 
anites and selling Joseph into Egyptian slavery is 
only equalled by the deed of one, whose "name 
is a byword to the human race," and who sold 
his Master for thirty pieces of silver. 

But although Joseph's body became the prop- 
erty of a slave-owner, his soul was free. He 
recognized that he was still the captain of his 
soul, and instead of giving way to fits of de- 
pression he saw that he was being deliberately 
taken along a hard road. He believed that his 
God was the God of Egypt as well as the God 
of his fathers, that His control was absolute, that 
His all-seeing eye was upon him, and he took 
courage. He made the best of his adverse cir- 
cumstances and when he became the property of 
the captain of Pharaoh's guard he acquitted him- 
self with such credit, his character was so noble 
and his conduct so admirable, that Potipher saw 
that the Lord was with him, and "made him over- 
seer over his house, and all that he had he put 
into his hand." 

It was while engaged as an overseer that 
Joseph was called upon to face the most fearful 
temptation of his life. Potipher's wife, capti- 
vated by the charm of his personality, became his 
temptress. From day to day she spake to Joseph 



A Moral Crisis 



157 



tempting him and had it not been for his habits 
of industry and piety, his practice of the presence 
of God in his daily life, he would have gone down 
into defeat and oblivion. But his faith saved him. 
His faith gave him a high sense of honour and a 
worthy fear of God. He was true to himself, 
and even though it meant being branded with 
shame, and cast into prison, he could not be un- 
true to himself, he could not be untrue to his 
master, and, moreover, he could not be untrue 
to his God. ''How can I do this great wicked- 
ness, and sin against God?" If Joseph's behaviour 
was commendable in his first trial, his behaviour 
in the great moral crisis of his life was admir- 
able. His faith had given him great convictions 
and his convictions determined his conduct. Need- 
less to remark his conduct on that momentous oc- 
casion decided his destiny. By circumstantial evi- 
dence he was condemned to imprisonment; but 
his innocence was attested by God, by his own 
conscience, and by time. He might have cleared 
himself of this criminal charge, but a word from 
him would dishonour his master, so he preferred 
to suffer in silence, and leave himself and his fu- 
ture in God's hands. 

His conduct in prison won the approval of all 
within its walls, but his treatment of his brethren, 
his bestowal of generous measures of mercy, in- 
stead of seeking revenge is beyond all praise. 

Therefore, Behold the Conquests of this 
Dreamer! They are many and we can indicate 



158 



Soul Crises 



only a few. Behold the conquests of this 
dreamer in the commercial realm. He knows 
every grade of wheat and he appreciates the 
value of the flocks. Had it not been for this 
dreamer who acted with such discretion during 
the seven years of plenty, man would have starved 
and the flocks perished during the seven years of 
famine. We need dreamers in the commercial 
realm to-day, men who by their abiUty will prove 
their fitness to be commercial leaders and who by 
their uncompromising integrity will redeem mod- 
ern business life from all suspicion, and conduct 
it along such lines that every honest business man 
will be proud of his caUing. 

Behold the conquests of this dreamer in the 
moral realm. At last Joseph's dreams come true. 
He has been raised to the high eminence of Prime 
Minister of Egypt. He has saved the situation 
for that great empire; and one day a procession 
of ten men appears. They have come to buy corn. 
Joseph recognizes them; tries them, reveals him- 
self to them, forgives them, and invites them to 
come and dwell in the land of Goshen. 

The meeting of Joseph and his brethren, after 
twenty years, is full of pathos. These rough men 
have learned many things in the meantime, and 
gladly prostrate themselves before their brother. 
His generous treatment of them reminds us of 
One who, when He was reviled, reviled not again; 
and who, on a hill called Calvary prayed for His 
murderers, 'Tather forgive them for they know 



A Moral Crisis 



159 



not what they do." 

Behold the conquests of this dreamer in the 
spiritual realm. Although exalted by Pharaoh 
and crowned with every symbol of authority, he 
recognized it was the Lord. To his brethren he 
confessed, it was the Lord. And while his 
achievements were great and enduring, the most 
enduring monument of all is himself. He stands 
before us as a worthy type of our Lord and 
Saviour Jesus Christ. 



CHAPTER XII 



A DOMESTIC CRISIS 

At e'ven my ivife died: and I did in the morning as I ivas 
commanded. — Ezek. XXIV, i8. 

THESE words are startling in their signifi- 
cance. They bring us face to face with one 
of the most harrowing experiences of domestic 
life. We see a man in the midst of a great sor- 
row. The hand of the Lord has been heavy upon 
him. His wife has been taken away by a sudden 
stroke. In graphic language he narrates his ex- 
perience. "In the evening my wife died." It 
is always evening when a good woman dies. We 
have a custom of drawing the curtains when death 
visits our homes. I do not know what led to the 
introduction of this custom unless it was that 
the chamber of death might appear to be more 
in harmony with the soul of the bereaved. There 
he stands in the gathering gloom : a man who has 
been bereft of ''the delight of his eyes." Impul- 
sively we sympathize with him. Nothing crushes 
a man's spirit so entirely as a great domestic 
tragedy. This man has lost his wife. Death has 
entered the inner sanctuary of life and robbed him 

1 60 



A Domestic Crisis 



i6i 



of his most valuable domestic asset. The bond 
which bound "this man and this woman" together, 
at the altar, has been severed. Half stunned with 
grief, and, let us hope, through the salvation of 
blinding tears, he looks upon the mortal remains 
of her who, to him, was dearer than life. He is 
alone, and the power of the night chills his spirit. 
We have no words but those of kindly considera- 
tion and pity for the man who is crushed and 
broken by such a desolating experience. 

But as we gaze upon this sorrowful scene we 
are impressed by something unusual. This man 
has triumphed over his sorrow; or at least he 
bears himself so bravely, in his domestic crisis, 
that we wish to become more fully acquainted 
with him. "In the evening my wife died: and 
in the morning I did as I was commanded." Who 
was this remarkable man? Ezekiel, the prophet. 
As a prophet, Ezekiel has not yet come to his 
own. The majority of Bible students have not 
cultivated his acquaintance. His method of pro- 
phetic utterance is somewhat exacting, so instead 
of facing his wonderful array of images, com- 
parisons, allegories, parables, personifications and 
descriptions, we have regarded him with some- 
thing akin to indifference. It has been argued 
that in Ezekiel there are many things hard to 
understand. Perhaps so, but whatever may be 
said in favour of such an argument, there is one 
thing we can understand. It is the great sorrow 
which came upon him like a bolt from the blue. 



l62 



Soul Crises 



*'In the evening my wife died: and in the morning 
I did as I was commanded." 

Ezekiel Hved during the decline and fall of 
Israel as a nation. The clouds of doom were 
moving across the horizon when he was born. 
His father's name was Buzi. Of his youth and 
education we know nothing beyond what is im- 
plied in his prophecies, that he was naturally en- 
dowed with great intellectual strength, and had 
received more than an ordinary education. 
Presumably he belonged to the upper ranks of 
the priesthood, who formed part of the aristoc- 
racy of Jerusalem. His intimate knowledge of 
the details of the temple service gives one the 
impression that he must have been an officiating 
priest in the national sanctuary. He was con- 
temporary with Jeremiah, the weeping prophet, 
and with Daniel, the beloved. He is known to 
us as a prophet of the Exile. He, with many 
others of the cream of Jewish society, was car- 
ried away from his native land in the second de- 
portation adopted by Nebuchadnezzar. 

The colony in which Ezekiel settled was in the 
northern part of Mesopotamia, on the banks of 
the Chebar. The Chebar, if not the name of an 
arm of the Euphrates itself, was probably one 
of the numerous irrigating canals which inter- 
sected the great alluvial plain of the Euphrates 
and Tigris. In this settlement the prophet had 
his own house where the people were free to visit 
him. It was on the banks of the Chebar that 



A Domestic Crisis 



God's message came to Ezekiel calling him to the 
ministry of a prophet. The call came to him in 
the fifth year of Jehoiachin's captivity. With the 
simplicity of a child and the earnestness of a man, 
he did what he was bidden.^ His readiness to 
comply with the divine will at any cost is seen in 
the words of our text, ''In the evening my wife 
died: and in the morning I did as I was com- 
manded." 

Ezekiel stands before us as a man who loved, 
as a man who suffered, and as a man who served. 
He was a man who loved. What was the object 
of his love? One thing is very evident, he loved 
his nation. Ezekiel was a patriot of the worthiest 
kind. His acceptance of the prophetic office 
proves that he loved his nation. He had his na- 
tion's highest interests at heart. He had a great 
regard for civic righteousness. He loved the 
society into which he had been thrown by de- 
portation. His fellow-exiles felt that in him they 
had a friend. His regard for them is seen in his 
having an open door for all and sundry. But 
while he had a great regard for his nation and a 
general love for his friends in Chebar, he had a 
particular love for one woman. The object of 
Ezekiel's love was his wife. This fact gives real- 
ity to the sorrow he relates. If little is known 
about Ezekiel's personal history, still less is known 
regarding his wife. However, we are informed 
that she died suddenly. We do not know her 

^ The Expositors' Bible. 



Soul Crises 



name and nothing is recorded of her family his- 
tory. But this we do know: she was greatly be- 
loved by her husband. She is spoken of as "the 
delight of his eyes." From this we reasonably 
may infer that she was a good woman. Like 
draws to like. Considering the character of the 
prophet, only a good woman would be able to 
gain his affections and command his respect. The 
maidens of Israel were young women of sterling 
piety. Consequently the mothers in Israel have 
impressed the world. The one reference which 
has come down to us respecting Ezekiel's wife en- 
ables us to see that he was very happy in his mar- 
riage. His home life was all that could be 
desired. He loved! 

This is an experience so common that we are 
apt to regard it with indifference. But although 
such a frequent occurrence, it comes like the dawn- 
ing of a new day to every individual lover. He 
becomes a veritable Columbus ; he discovers a new 
world, a world which makes the discovery of a 
continent a prosaic affair. All the world loves a 
lover ! Jacob has an abiding place in our affec- 
tions because he loved. He hesitated not to serve 
fourteen years to gain the object of his affections. 
Jonathan never wore the crown of Israel, but 
his love for David has given him a crown that 
fadeth not away. Robert Burns achieved immor- 
tality because he loved. He loved nature and 
he loved men. His lament for Highland Mary 
never fails to strike a responsive chord: 



A Domestic Crisis 



165 



"Ye'U break my heart, ye warbling bird, 
That warbles on the flow'ry thorn, 
Ye mind me o' departed joys, 
Departed never to return." 

That Thomas Carlyle was a lover of litera- 
ture none will deny, but he appears in no more 
favourable light than when we see him wending 
his way so frequently to visit his deceased wife's 
grave. 

What is the object of our love? Is it national, 
social, or individual? Are we fired by great pa- 
triotic sentiments? Have we a consuming ambi- 
tion to affect great moral and social reforms? Or 
is it your desire to be used of God? To lead men 
to Christ one by one? Whether we wish to be 
recognized as patriots, as social reformers or 
evangelists there is one essential preliminary. Be- 
fore our love can be a social force it must be 
kindled by our regard for a particular individual. 
Next to the love he bore to his Creator and Re- 
deemer, Ezekiel could not have bestowed his af- 
fections on a more worthy object. 

"Without faith it is impossible to please God." 
Without love it is impossible to achieve anything 
of worth. Bring me a boy who is in love with 
his school work, who is busy with his books when 
he might be at play, and I will show you a coming 
scholar or a future statesman. Bring me the boy 
who studies his Bible and his geography together 
and I will show you a future Livingstone. Every 



i66 



Soul Crises 



man of worth is deeply in love. He must needs 
love the work in which he is engaged if he would 
command success. A man cannot preach a good 
sermon without being in love. The greater his 
love for his Lord, the greater his love for the 
Lord's people, the better will he preach. The 
greatest saints have been the greatest lovers. And 
one thing is very patent in the New Testament. It 
is this : You cannot have salvation unless you fall 
in love. To Peter the Apostle, Jesus said not, 
"Canst thou preach?" not, ''Canst thou organize," 
but, "Lovest thou Me?" Love is the fundamental 
requirement. John was a great lover. He also 
leaned on Jesus' bosom. Therefore he saw most 
clearly into the divine heart. Judas ceased to love, 
and after perpetrating the most diabolical deed on 
record he went "to his own place" — a place where 
there is no love. 

Before passing from this part of our subject 
observe the source of Ezekiel's love. When we 
see a mighty river rushing on to the ocean, we 
know it has a source. When we see an all-con- 
troUing current in a man's nature, we rightly con- 
sider that it has a source. It needs no student of 
philosophy to discern two kinds of love. One is 
selfish, the other is unselfish. There is a "love 
of the world," and there is the "love of God." 
One is an animal passion; the other is a Christian 
grace. Behind Ezekiel's love for the gentle crea- 
ture who was "the delight of his eyes," behind his 
love for Zion, behind his love for his fellow exiles, 



A Domestic Crisis 



there was the love of God. His love emanated 
from God. It was the mighty and merciful Je- 
hovah who gave Ezekiel such a strong, clean, 
wholesome regard for his people, and such a 
tender regard for his wife. 

We joyfully confess that we love God, but have 
we ever grasped the significance of its source? 
Our love has its source in the great and gracious 
heart of the Eternal. "For God so loved the 
world that He gave His only begotten son that 
whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but 
have everlasting life." There is one hymn, among 
others, which has simply captivated us. It pro- 
claims a thrilling fact, and so we delight to sing, 

"Jesus, lover of my soul. 
Let me to Thy bosom fly." 

"We love Him because He first loved us, and 
gave Himself for us." 

Ezekiel was a man who loved. He was also 
a man who suffered. "In the evening my wife 
died: and in the morning I did as I was com- 
manded." Consider the nature of his sufferings. 
We are not in a position to say by what disease 
Ezekiel's wife was carried away. Doubtless it 
would entail great physical suffering. There are 
a great many of this kind of sufferers. It must 
by trying always to be ailing, to be confined to 
one's room for weeks, and possibly years, by 
physical sufferings. Those of us who enjoy good 



i68 



Soul Crises 



health should at least be grateful and furthermore 
we should take reasonable care of it, for it is one 
of those priceless boons we value most when be- 
yond recall. 

But exacting as physical suffering is there is 
another kind which is even worse. It is mental 
suffering. This was the nature of Ezekiel's suf- 
ferings. To appreciate the gravity of his ex- 
perience one needs to have been in a similar posi- 
tion. If you have watched over your loved ones 
as they faded from health to weakness, if you 
have seen them becoming a little more frail until 
one never to be forgotten night when the end came 
— if you have had an experience of this nature — 
you will be able to sympathize with Ezekiel as he 
passes through his great domestic crisis. As the 
dimensions of his sorrow break in upon us, we 
begin to compute the measure of his suspense, his 
anxiety, his inward struggle to become reconciled 
to his fate. The appalling nature of suspense, 
the fearful uncertainty, the struggle of hope with 
despair, must be experienced to be known. 

As we contemplate Ezekiel's mental agony, we 
see that his suffering was intensified by the sud- 
denness of the stroke. "In the morning I spake 
unto the people, and at even my wife died." The 
sorrow of bereavement is invariably great, but it 
is simply overwhelming when it finds us unpre- 
pared for its approach. The blow is somewhat 
relieved of its severity when we are looking for 
it. There is a better chance of our becoming 



A Domestic Crisis 169 



reconciled to it than when we are taken unawares. 
Ezekiel's suffering is by no means an unusual ex- 
perience. As we consider the loss he sustained, 
we are the better able to view our own. How 
many domestic relations have been disturbed, and 
severed in the present crisis ! Our brave brothers 
and sons, so recently departed, had one thing in 
common, they loved. They loved the great 
and glorious nation of which we form a part, and 
how dearly they loved their homes ! They have 
gone ! — gone ! not because they loved us the less, 
but because they loved honour more. They re- 
sponded to the call of their King and Country. 
They have gone to fight, to suffer, and if need be 
to die for Truth, and Home, and God. To go to 
the front is no child's play. The call has been 
for men, and only the most physically fit have 
been privileged to go. All honour to the men 
who have gone ! They cheerfully gave up the 
companionship of those they loved dearer than 
life, at the call of Duty, and their sacrifice is 
great. But if I understand this fearful situation 
aright, the greatest valour is not confined to the 
trenches. The most strenuous demands have been 
made upon those who are left behind, who gaze 
upon a vacant chair, who anxiously wait and 
fervently pray. All honour to the noble mothers 
and wives and sweethearts who have given their 
dear ones freely at a time hke this ! Our suffer- 
ing is too apparent to admit of our enlarging upon 
it. But this can be said, our own domestic sor- 



Soul Crises 



rows help us to sympathize with the prophet who 
was suddenly bereft of "the delight of his eyes." 

He suffered! How much God only knows! 
But observe his refuge in the midst of his suffer- 
ing! Some men in the anguish of desolation have 
rebelled. When they have lost their loved ones 
they have lost their God. Far be it from us to 
criticize. It is an event devoutly to be deplored 
when a man loses faith, but this was not the case 
with the prophet. Even in his grief he held on 
to his God. He saw the hand of God in his af- 
fliction and that saved the situation. If we can 
realize in the present crisis that God is still on 
His throne, if we view our sorrow in the light 
of His gracious designs, our affliction will be 
sanctified to us. And when He has tried us we 
too, like Job, shall come forth as gold. God told 
Ezekiel that he would take away "the deHght of 
his eyes" at a stroke. Such an intimation might 
have prostrated the strongest of men, but when 
the prophet was informed of the significance of 
this stroke, he humbly acquiesced. 

This life is not all. And the great question 
after all is this: Whom are we living for? What 
are we desirous of accomplishing? This is not 
our abiding place. We seek "a city which hath 
foundations, whose builder and maker is God." 
It is an enviable thing to have an honoured part 
in building the Empire of Righteousness. We 
grieve when our loved ones depart, but we sorrow 
not as those without hope. If by faith we can 



A Domestic Crisis 



171 



become reconciled to our lot, we eventually shall 
see that "all things work together for good to 
them that love God." There is another life which 
many of our loved ones have gone to re-enforce. 
"The Lord is our refuge and strength, a very 
present help in time of trouble." 

"In the evening my wife died: and in the morn- 
ing I did as I was commanded." Ezekiel was 
a man who served. God teaches men by the 
means at His disposal. Some worthy souls are 
alert enough to hear the still small voice, but the 
majority of us are so preoccupied that we can 
be brought to attention only by the roar of 
cannon. It was a critical time in Jewish history. 
God wanted to give His people an idea of the 
dire calamities which were soon to overtake them. 
So he said to Ezekiel, "Son of man, behold, I 
take away from thee the desire of thine eyes with 
a stroke," and thou shalt omit the usual signs of 
mourning. This will impress the people. They 
will ask the significance of thy strange behaviour 
and thou shalt inform them of the consequences 
of their sin. "Ye shall not mourn nor weep; but 
ye shall pine away for your iniquities, and mourn 
one toward another." So this is recorded, "In 
the evening my wife died: and in the morning I 
did as I was commanded." 

You can see him on that never to be forgotten 
night as he paces to and fro. He is passing 
through his Gethsemane. You can imagine his 
condition, but do you see him next morning? He 



172 



Soul Crises 



has had no sleep. He wants no breakfast. His 
eyes are red with weeping. His heart is heavy, 
his gait uncertain, but thank God he went forth. 
"In the morning I did as I was commanded." He 
served the same God after that eventful night, 
but with a new vision. No man can pass through 
such an experience and ever be the same again. 
Lo ! the prophet has a new message. He prophe- 
sies the rise of "a new Israel out of the ruins of 
the old." ^ He merged his grief in public duty. 
If men disregarded his words they were impressed 
by his conduct. He stood for a sign and so does 
every man who names the name of Christ. It 
is our privilege to make men feel the power of 
the world to come. What is to be the outcome 
of the present crisis? If we have been favoured 
by a new vision, we will see a new world wherein 
righteousness shall dwell; we will see that there 
is another King who is coming to His own. 

Ezekiel's labours were well rewarded. The 
people had been carried into exile because of 
idolatry and its attendant evils. When they re- 
turned they were cleansed from idolatry, and this 
was largely due to Ezekiel's labours. He lived 
to see a decided improvement in the character of 
the people among whom he laboured and perhaps 
the greatest impression was made upon them by 
his courageous example in the great domestic 
crisis of his life. "In the evening my wife died: 
and in the morning I did as I was commanded." 

* Fairvveather, T/ie Exile to the Advent. 



A Domestic Crisis 



173 



His service was immediate and it was attended by 
gratifying results. "In the morning I did as I 
was commanded." He was prompt. He began 
well. May we realize how urgent the command 
is ! The King's business requires haste. With 
this heroic example before us Jet us make our do- 
mestic sorrows an incentive to renewed zeal, and 
a more Christlike devotion in His service. 



V 



CHAPTER XIII 



A SPIRITUAL CRISIS 

And He said, Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do 
thou any thing unto him: for noiv I kno-uo that thou fear est God, 
seeing thou hast not ^withheld thy son, thine only son from Me. — 
Gen. XXII, 12. 

A STORY is told in political circles of two 
men who were nominated by their respective 
friends to represent a certain constituency. The 
gentleman who advocated the claims of the first 
nominee spoke at some length upon his splendid 
qualifications. He made a very favourable im- 
pression when he reiterated the fact that the 
gentleman, whom he had the honour of nominat- 
ing as a suitable candidate to represent the con- 
stituency, was a "self-made" man. 

The next speaker made a very short but ef- 
fective speech. He said, "The gentleman to 
whom we have just listened tried to make an 
essential quahfication out of the fact that his 
nominee is a 'self-made' man. Evidently he is a 
'self-made' man, but the candidate whom it is my 
privilege to nominate was made by God, and there 
is just as much difference between the two men 
as there is between the two makers." 



174 



A Spiritual Crisis 



175 



In the political arena men make startling state- 
ments, and once in a while they speak truer than 
they know. There are two distinct types of char- 
acter in the world. The one is self-made, the 
other is God-made, and the difference between 
them is simply the difference between the two 
makers. There are a great many attractive traits 
in the character of the self-made man. He is 
dihgent, enterprising, and aggressive, but so is 
the devil. What determines the real status of 
one whom we designate a self-made man is not his 
wealth but his spirit. By what motives has he 
been actuated? What has been the dominating 
thought in his career? By a self-made man we 
generally mean one who in spite of obstacles, in 
spite of poverty and a limited education, by sheer 
pluck and perseverance has made his way in the 
world. A self-made man may in the truest sense 
of that term be a God-made man. He may be 
a son of God and a big brother to his fellows. 
But that a man makes his own way in the world 
and does the best for himself, it does not neces- 
sarily follow that he will do the most for his fel- 
lows. Everything depends on where a man's af- 
fections are placed. 

We read of a self-made man in the New Testa- 
ment. He was a wealthy farmer. So heavy were 
his crops one season that he was at a loss what 
to do with them. "And he thought within himself, 
saying, . . . This will I do : I will pull down my 
barns and build greater; and there will I bestow 



176 



Soul Crises 



all my fruits and my goods. And I will say to my 
soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many 
years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry." 
That's the kind of man self makes! Self first, 
capital "I" in the middle, and self last. "But God 
said unto him, Thou fool ! this night thy soul shall 
be required of thee : then whose shall those things 
be, which thou hast provided? So is he that 
layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich 
toward God." 

Where self rules principles are enslaved. Take 
two men similar in mental caliber, with precisely 
the same advantages. The self-made man suc- 
ceeds by leaps and bounds. The God-made man 
does not become renowned for his material pros- 
perity. Why? Because he disdains to be un- 
scrupulous ! He prefers poverty with honour 
rather than riches with contempt. 

We have heard a great deal in recent years 
about a certain self-made man who has been dis- 
tinguished by the name of "superman." He is 
the product of social evolution. His chief at- 
tribute is the exercise of ruthless power, and as 
far as I can learn from his methods and motives 
he has been mis-named. When he says, "War is 
not merely a necessary element in the life of na- 
tions, but an indispensable factor of kultur," he 
is qualifying for honours in the cabinet of his 
Satanic majesty. In its ultimate issue, the self- 
made man is a Napoleon, the embodiment of 
selfishness, a Kaiser, the embodiment of vanity, 



A Spiritual Crisis 



177 



a Judas, the embodiment of treachery, or a mili- 
tary despot who is the embodiment of all three. 

To obtain the highest type of manhood, self 
must be subordinated to a higher power. The 
self-made man is distinguished by a philosophy of 
blood and iron, by what he has accumulated, by 
the things he has gathered around him. The God- 
made man is distinguished by his sacrifices, by 
what he has suffered, by what he has given to the 
world. 

Therefore I ask you to behold a man among 
men! A man, boasting many distinctions and 
subhme achievements, but his greatest distinction 
lies in the fact that he was made according to 
the divine pattern. In Abraham we have a con- 
crete illustration of how God makes His men. 
In order to appreciate the divine method of edu- 
cation it will be necessary for us to refer to some 
of the outstanding events in his career. His 
career is worthy of study because it is so rep- 
resentative of that type of character which is as 
opposite as the poles to that of the self-made man. 
Our text introduces us to the supreme sacrifice of 
his life. This great spiritual crisis was the final 
examination in his moral and spiritual education. 
"And He said, lay not thine hand upon the lad, 
neither do thou anything unto him: for now I 
know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not 
withheld thy son, thine only son from Me." These 
significant words, "Now I know," give the key to 
Abraham's eventful life. They carry us back to 



178 



Soul Crises 



the beginning of his pilgrimage. 

His wonderful career began in obedience to 

A DIVINE CALL 

"The Lord said unto Abram, 'Get thee out 
of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from 
thy father's house, unto a land that I will show 
thee.' " This call came to Abram in Haran 
and his immediate response to it showed him to be 
the kind of material out of which God's men are 
made. It was a drastic measure, to ask a man to 
leave his home, his friends, and his gods, but only 
drastic measures will justify the attempt to make a 
new man. Some men with the best of intentions 
begin a reform in Haran. They paint their house, 
they clean up all refuse, and give their home an 
attractive appearance. They begin to lecture their 
frivolous friends and even whitewash their 
heathen gods, but to every would-be Abram, 
God comes and says, "Get thee out!" 

It requires no small moral effort for a man, 
in obedience to an unseen God, to leave all that 
Abram was requested to leave, but he did it 
and history shows that he made no mistake. 
Doubtless Abram had a great regard for his home 
and friends, although he was positively dis- 
gusted with idolatry, and when God called he 
"obeyed; and went out, not knowing whither he 
went." It was an act of simple faith. The only 
true and living God had called him, He knew 



A Spiritual Crisis 



179 



where He wanted Abram to go, and would show 
him the way. 

The same God is calling to-day. Have you 
heard His call? Surely you are not so unreason- 
able as to imagine that you never have heard a 
call ! A deaf man may stand among the trees 
where the birds are making melody and never 
hear a note, but it is altogether unreasonable to 
talk of never hearing a call when so many voices, 
so urgent and insistent, are endeavouring to at- 
tract our attention. 

The God-made man is not the only man who 
hears a call. No man is more responsive to a 
call than a self-made man. But whereas the self- 
made man hears the call of ambition, of wealth, 
and pleasure or fame, the God-made man hears 
a divine call ; he is always responsive to the divine 
voice. Nor is the God-made man the only man 
who leaves his country in obedience to a call. 
Thousands of self-made men have heard the call 
of wealth, under their own vine and fig tree. 
They have gone far beyond the comforts of civil- 
ization, they have faced hardships and solitude 
with a cheerfulness that was contagious, but with 
all their commendable features they were seeking 
great things for themselves. Thousands have 
crossed the ocean to make their homes on this 
great continent. The majority can easily boast a 
more delightful voyage than was experienced by 
the Pilgrim Fathers on board the Mayflower, but 
few can boast of coming to our shores in re- 



i8o 



Soul Crises 



sponse to a diviner call. The many calls we hear 
may be resolved into calls to please self, or to 
please God. Self calls and God calls. Each 
promises to make our hearty response pre-emi- 
nently worth while, and there is just as much dif- 
ference between the respective promises and re- 
wards as there is between the two promise makers. 
Two men go to Africa, each in response to a call. 
One hears an insistent call to the diamond mines 
of Kimberley; the other hears an urgent call to 
go and preach to the heathen, to civilize and 
evangelize Africa's dark and benighted sons. 
Both work hard. One eventually becomes a mil- 
lionaire, the other a Livingstone. 

The career of every God-made man begins, 
like that of Abram, with a divine call, and, like 
Abram, he becomes the recipient of 

A DIVINE PROMISE 

The divine promise to Abram was verified by 
his changed name. God appeared to him and 
said, ''I am the Almighty God: walk before me, 
and be thou perfect. And I will . . . multiply 
thee exceedingly, . . . and thou shalt be a father 
of many nations. Neither shall thy name any 
more be called Abram, but thy name shall be 
Abraham; for a father of many nations have I 
made thee." The son of promise was born, the 
son in whom the hopes of Abraham were centred. 
Do you know what the advent of a child means 



A Spiritual Crisis 



to his devoted parents? A man has a truer con- 
ception of the Fatherhood of God when he looks 
into the eyes of a child of his own. And if the 
advent of a child is so significant, what shall we 
say of a son of promise? Gaze upon these old 
people as they renew their youth in the presence 
of this child of promise. 

Ah, no ! the self-made men do not shine here. 
To prattle to a httle child is so much waste of 
time. Time is money, and where self rules every- 
thing becomes as hard and unresponsive as gold. 
If we were as interested in our children as we 
are in our livestock, or our seed grain, there would 
be an improvement in our educational methods 
and standards of efficiency. When children could 
be sold for so much hard cash, even slave-owners 
could be generous and humane. When ! oh when 
will we learn the priceless value of the souls com- 
mitted to our care? 

We can see joy and gladness on the faces of 
his aged parents as Isaac blooms into the beauty 
of youth and vigour. How much depends upon 
him! How essential that he be instructed in 
righteousness, that he become a partaker of his 
father's faith. By this time Abraham was con- 
sidered a wealthy man. He had been successful 
in the great world of affairs, and what was more, 
his heart's desire had been granted. The divine 
promise was personified in his son. 

We now begin to see how high the God-made 
man towers above the men self makes. Self 



l82 



Soul Crises 



makes promises, but what are they in comparison 
to the promises of God? Self promises ease, 
pleasure, a comfortable old age, but "Godliness 
is profitable unto all things, having the promise 
of the life that now is, and of that which is to 
come." 

As Isaac developed into manhood, and began 
to assume responsibility, Abraham felt relieved. 
Now he could enjoy a well-earned rest, and pass 
the remainder of his life in peace and comfort. 
When lo ! a storm broke out of a clear sky. All 
his plans and purposes seemed to be demolished 
suddenly, as by a cyclone. Like every God-made 
man Abraham was subjected to 

A DIVINE TEST 

"And it came to pass after these things that 
God did tempt Abraham, and said. Take now thy 
son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and 
get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him 
there for a burnt offering upon one of the moun- 
tains which I will tell thee of." If it was a drastic 
measure to ask Abraham to leave everything and 
get out of his country, it was a mere suggestion 
of what was to follow. This latter injunction 
was the most drastic of all. To ask a man, vener- 
able with age, by one fearful stroke to slay his 
son, to put the knife to his hopes, was a terrible 
demand to make. 

Why did God tempt Abraham? Various re- 



A Spiritual Crisis 



183 



plies might be given. One is that this is not an 
isolated experience. How many parents have as 
generously given up their sons in the present 
crisis! How many wives have as courageously 
given up their husbands I How proudly and 
cheerfully our brothers and sons marched away, 
and some of them will not come back. We turn 
to the casualty list and read of a young man 
"killed in action." We put down the paper with 
a sigh of relief, saying, Only one in that list to- 
night. Yes ! Only one ! There would in all 
probability be many more. But supposing that 
"one" had been your son or mine? The sad news 
of that "one" breaks a mother's heart, and leaves 
another vacant chair. How many prayers were 
offered for that "one" ! How many fond hopes 
were centred in him ! Alas ! How many parents 
and widows are now passing through a great 
spiritual crisis, as a result of their loss! Abra- 
ham, in being asked to take his son, does not have 
to walk to Mount Moriah alone. 

But why did God tempt Abraham? Another 
answer is that nothing reveals character so clearly 
as a crisis. This Great War has revealed both 
men and nations in their true light. In a very 
striking manner it has parted the sheep on the 
right hand, and the goats on the left. King Albert 
of Belgium by his resolute stand for righteousness 
has covered himself with glory. His Christlike 
example will be an inspiration to future genera- 
tions. King Ferdinand of Bulgaria showed his 



i84 



Sold Crises 



true colours when he intimated that he must be 
on the winning side. 

The great gulf separating the self-made men 
from the God-made men is seen in the attitude 
adopted in the present crisis. When the urgent 
call was made for men, not merely to uphold the 
traditions of the Empire, but to defend the liber- 
ties of the race, thousands of loyal citizens said 
to themselves, "This is a great crisis. What can 
I put into it?" What the God-made men and 
women have put into this struggle, is seen in the 
generous response of those who have offered 
themselves for service, in the Christ-like efforts of 
the Red Cross Society, in the Patriotic Fund, in 
the various relief funds, and in the sympathy and 
prayers that daily ascend to God that He will 
overrule all for righteousness, and the advance- 
ment of His kingdom. 

But there were others who said, "This is a great 
opportunity for enrichment. What can I get out 
of it?" And while their brothers' blood is being 
shed for freedom, home, and God, they are ex- 
ploiting their king and country. 

Why did God tempt Abraham? He did not 
tempt him with the idea of causing him to sin. 
He never does that. Rather, it was the final 
examination in his moral and spiritual education, 
and God believed that Abraham was ready for 
such an examination. It is always an honour to 
be asked to take this examination. For "whom 
the Lord loveth He chasteneth, and scourgeth 



A Spiritual Crisis 



every son whom He receiveth." *'God did tempt 
Abraham." The word translated "tempt" in the 
A. V. means to prove or to test. God did prove 
Abraham, or subjected him to a divine test. In 
one of the old versions, which is distinguished by 
its elegant Greek, there is an interesting para- 
phrase upon this passage. It reads : "God glori- 
fied Abraham." What a delightful explanation 
of this divine test, and how true in the light of 
Abraham's subsequent immortality! 

We look upon such a divine test with fear and 
trembUng. But what makes the precious gold 
of Christian character? Is it ease? comfort? 
or sacrifice? Who are those who have impressed 
you most? Those who have suffered. What does 
a true man desire more than an opportunity to 
prove his loyalty, to prove his spurs, to show 
himself equal to the demands made upon him. So 
in setting these final examination papers before 
His servant, "God glorified Abraham." The pro- 
cess of glorification is not an easy one. "Now no 
chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, 
but grievous, nevertheless afterward it yieldeth 
the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them 
which are exercised thereby." 

When Abraham was subjected to this divine 
test he was in a similar position to all who are 
confronted with a spiritual crisis. He did not 
know what was going to happen. He had no 
assurance that his son was going to be given back 
to him. All he knew was that God had said, 



i86 



Soul Crises 



"Take now thy son," and in obedience to the 
divine command, he directed his steps to Mount 
Moriah. 

But were there no questionings in Abraham's 
heart? Put yourself in his place. Mark you, he 
did not think it was wrong to offer his son as a 
burnt-offering, for such horrible practices obtained 
in his time. But he must have thought it strange 
for he lived far above his time. He had a 
father's heart, he had a living faith, and that three 
eventful days' journey would rend his spirit. He 
could not fathom why God wanted to punish him 
in this manner, but he knew that God knew him 
better than he knew himself, and he went on. 
Imagine his feelings when the unsuspecting Isaac 
said, ^'Behold the fire and the wood, but where is 
the lamb?" That innocent question would be like 
plunging a dagger in his heart, "Where is the 
lamb?" Abraham spake better than he knew 
when he replied, "God will provide Himself a 
lamb." At that moment God was giving Abraham 
a taste of His own experience, a knowledge of 
the mystery "of the Lamb slain from the founda- 
tion of the world." 

We do not always know why we have to pass 
through great spiritual crises, but somehow we 
feel that they bring us to the heart of things. 
They open avenues of which we were ignorant, 
like our Master we learn obedience by the things 
which we suffer. With the assistance of Isaac, 
Abraham soon had the altar and the wood in 



A Spiritual Crisis 



187 



readiness for the sacrifice but a more difficult task 
awaited him. How was an old man to bind a 
young man of twenty-five years ? By force ? Had 
it come to a struggle the young man could easily 
have held his own, and if he did not want to fight, 
he could have taken to his heels. There is only 
one answer. Isaac must have been told of the 
divine command and become a voluntary victim. 
What faith is displayed by the father! What 
Christlike courage by the son! Isaac is securely 
bound. The keen blade flashes in the sun. The 
father lifts his hand to strike, and suddenly a 
voice from heaven cried, "Abraham, Abraham; 
lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou 
anything unto him: for now I know that thou 
fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy 
son, thine only son from Me." 

Abraham has passed his final examination with 
honours and is given 

A DIVINE ATTESTATION 

that he was a God-made man. On Mount Moriah 
we begin to breathe in a new atmosphere. We 
have left self-made men far below. They may 
have great material possessions, but when it comes 
to the moral and spiritual requirements of the 
Law, they are weighed in the balances and found 
wanting. This divine attestation certified to all 
and sundry that Abraham had graduated from 
the school in which God-made men are educated. 



r88 



Soul Crises 



**Now I know that thou fearest God." Abra- 
ham's faith was attested by the hall-mark of 
God. Upon such a demonstration of faith God 
was pleased to set His seal. "Now I know that 
thou fearest God." Was there ever a grander 
testimony borne to mortal than that? 

The sacrifice that God requires is the sacrifice 
of self. By his sacrifice of self, Abraham antici- 
pated New Testament teaching. 'T beseech you 
therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that 
ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, ac- 
ceptable unto God, which is your reasonable ser- 
vice." By our resignation to the divine will, a 
spiritual crisis may be transformed into a climax. 

"Now I know that thou fearest God." This 
divine attestation carried with it certain high dis- 
tinctions. "By myself have I sworn, saith the 
Lord, for because thou hast done this thing, and 
hast not withheld thy son, thine only son, that in 
blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying T 
will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, 
and as the sand which is upon the sea-shore, and 
in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be 
blessed, because thou hast obeyed my voice." 
Without seeking it, Abraham was given a place 
in the sun, he is the father of the faithful, and en- 
joyed the unique distinction of being called "the 
friend of God." 



CHAPTER XIV 



THE ADVENT OF A CONQUEROR 



And Jesus returned in the poixer of the Spirit into Galilee: 
and there ivent out a fame of Him through all the region round 
about. — Luke IV, 14. 



ITH these significant words St. Luke an- 



nounces the advent of our Lord from the 
wilderness. "The wilderness!" What a volume 
of suggestion is contained in the word "wilder- 
ness." It throws a flood of light upon the text. 
It gives the key to the situation. It introduces us 
to the scene of an awful combat. It suggests a 
titanic struggle. Contemplating the word, one 
naturally thinks of the prophetic promise. "The 
wilderness and the solitary place shall be glad for 
them, and the desert shall rejoice and blossom as 
the rose." 

Our fathers had such a magnificent conception 
of heaven that they sometimes designated this 
beautiful world as "a waste howling wilderness." 

To-day it needs neither saint nor prophet to pro- 
claim that many parts of this great world have 
in a very literal fashion been transformed into 
"a waste howling wilderness." Belgium, once so 
fruitful and so fair, is now a wilderness. North- 




189 



190 



Soul Crises 



ern France is a wilderness, Poland is a wilderness, 
and alas I these are not all. If we could rest as- 
sured that this word in all its bleak and tragic 
suggestiveness applied only to those parts of the 
world already named, our sorrow although great 
would be modified by the hope that the wilderness 
would eventually rejoice again and blossom as 
the rose, but it penetrates other regions. This 
word "wilderness" has defied all geographical 
boundaries and made its presence felt in every na- 
tion under heaven. How many parents and rela- 
tives have been driven out into the wilderness, 
if not into Gethsemane itself, because of this 
terrible war? Only God knows! Tasting the 
bitterness of death and passing through a Jordan 
of sorrow, they have been led up into the wilder- 
ness alone. 

There is no place on earth that may not be 
transformed into a wilderness. It may cast a 
blight over the most luxuriant garden of life. 
Your fondest dreams may fail of fulfilment and 
your brightest hopes may be dashed to the ground, 
but as life is more than a dream, and one hope 
may be succeeded by another, you need not de- 
spair. The wilderness is a place of danger. Un- 
seen foes lurk all around, here the arch-enemy has 
his stronghold. 

Methinks I hear some inexperienced youth sug- 
gesting he will never venture across the border 
into the wilderness. That may be a wise resolu- 
tion for a stripling because the wilderness is a 



The Advent of a Conqueror 191 



place of stern issues. It has its terrors for the 
weak and the timid, but all the great and the 
good have braved its dangers and emerged from 
its experiences equipped for life's work. Why 
was there such an urgent and insistent demand for 
Lord Kitchener at the beginning of the war? Be- 
cause he had been through the wilderness. The 
wilderness is a testing place. It has its perils and 
it has its possibilities. 

While I would not for a moment minimize its 
perils, I wish to speak of the power of the wilder- 
ness. "And Jesus returned in the power of the 
Spirit into Galilee : and there went out a fame of 
Him through all the region round about." Power 
and fame are two outstanding words in our text 
and these prizes we would like to obtain, but if 
we are honest we will acknowledge that power 
and fame have a vital connection with the wilder- 
ness. If we would be men of power and make 
a bid for fame, we must pass through the wilder- 
ness. 

Do I hear some would-be warrior asking 
"Where is the wilderness for I wish to enter it 
now?" You may find it just where you are. It 
is the place where the tried man has been, and 
men tried and true are the demand of the hour. 
The wilderness is the place from which we natur- 
ally shrink. It is the uninviting place. It is the 
place where we are tempted to shirk, to be, and 
to do less than our best. 

What is our wilderness? It may be and prob- 



192 



Soul Crises 



ably is the place of duty. Duty I the word is 
so cold and unromantic, it is so arduous and irk- 
some that we would rather not face it. Two 
choices confront us. Either we must do our duty 
or die in the wilderness. 

The school or the college may be a wilderness. 
To be shut in with a number of disagreeable sub- 
jects, with no possibility of escape, but by the 
mastery of them, is a wilderness indeed. I can 
sympathize with young people who find them- 
selves in this wilderness. Have I not literally 
sweat in reviewing the host of subjects to be 
mastered before a man is supposed to be fitted for 
his life's work? But that sweat is as oil on our 
mental machinery. It makes it work. Young 
people ! others before you have felt the difficulties 
of the situation in school and college, as you are 
doing. They looked these difficult problems in 
the face and determined to solve them, and they 
did. Where there's a will, there's a way. The 
subjects you have to study now may appear to be 
difficult, but before you proceed much farther 
along the road of experience you will find that 
the most difficult subject you have to deal with is 
yourself. 

Another very unusual place to find a wilderness 
is in the Christian home. The home has been de- 
scribed as a well-watered garden, and a well- 
watered garden is a prophecy of an abundance of 
flowers and fruit. The Christian home is re- 
garded by the wise as the garden of the Lord. 



/ 



The Advent of a Conqueror 193 

In that garden are to be found some of the most 
fragrant flowers as well as the most delicious fruit. 
Yet some young people who are in those gardens 
are not content. They dislike discipHne, they 
resent chastisement, they fret and fume at this 
law and that restraint until for them, at least, the 
garden of life is transformed into a wilderness. 

Let me illustrate what I mean. There was once 
a young man who lived in a most refined home. 
His father was wealthy, and also very considerate, 
but this young man was not content. He made 
things as disagreeable as possible, both for him- 
self and others, until one day he decided to leave 
home. He was too much curbed and under too 
much restraint at home, so he determined to go 
out to see the world and withal to enjoy life. He 
went away and being a young man of means, he 
soon made friends. We will not follow him into 
the questionable places he frequented, or tarry 
to detail his wanderings, suffice to say, he was re- 
duced in circumstances and began to be in want. 
Without means, without friends, and far from 
home, what could he do? He applied for sev- 
eral respectable positions, but was rejected be- 
cause he could not produce satisfactory references. 
Finally, in sheer desperation, he joined himself to 
a citizen of that country who sent him to the fields 
to feed swine. In that reduced plight his better 
nature awoke. And when he came to himself, he 
said, "How many hired servants of my father's 
have bread enough, and to spare, and I perish 



194 



Soul Crises 



with hunger! I will arise and go to my father, 
and will say unto him, 'Father, I have sinned 
against Heaven, and before thee, and am no more 
worthy to be called thy son.' " When he went 
away from home he was "beside himself." But 
when he got rid of his insanity he remembered 
what he had left, and resolved without further 
delay to return. 

Young people who do not appreciate the un- 
speakable privileges of a Christian home are "be- 
side themselves." I charge you, one and all, to 
honour your parents and do your part to keep 
the flowers blooming in the garden of your home 
life. 

Again, the wilderness may penetrate our places 
of business. The minister engaged in the King's 
business sometimes gets discouraged. The scene 
of his labours may be difficult in the extreme, the 
response may be small, and the good man is 
tempted to beheve he is in the wrong place. I 
have heard a young minister bemoan the fact of 
a small congregation in a small place. "With a 
mere handful of people in a school-house and 
some of them asleep one can't put forth his best 
effort. Anything will do so long as you talk for 
half an hour." Alas! that fatal "anything will 
do." It spells disaster. Will "anything do"? 
No ! When we address our fellows as ambas- 
sadors of Christ, anything will not do. Faithful 
preaching in every school-house will make its in- 
fluence felt throughout Christendom. Faithful 



The Advent of a Conqueror 195 



preaching in a small congregation makes it easier 
for the man in the city pulpit. Besides, the wil- 
derness, with its difficulties and discouragements, 
is the place where great preachers are made. 
Jesus preached to some very small congregations 
and so did St. Paul, therefore let us preach as 
faithfully and fervently to three as we would 
preach to three thousand and even a wilderness 
will inspire us with its possibilities. 

Your wilderness may be the store in which you 
are conducting your business. Unfortunately it 
was built in the wrong street. It has the disad- 
vantage of a poor location. You could do fifty 
per cent, more business if you were not handi- 
capped by being on a back street. Situated as 
you are it is not worth while putting forth your 
energies to redeem the situation. "Not worth 
while!" These are not the words of a strong 
man. "Not worth while!" Have you honestly 
tried to make it worth while? Any average 
tradesman can run a business which has all the 
advantages of a good name and a suitable loca- 
tion. It requires the sustained efforts of a strong 
man to develop a thriving business under adverse 
conditions. If you have goods the public need, 
you have a right to make the effort. Utilize your 
genius. You may have powers of which you never 
yet have dreamed. It may require the aid of a 
hard place to bring out the best in you. There is 
a kind of omnipotence in patient and persistent 
effort. Therefore, rise in your might! Apply 



196 



Soul Crises 



yourself with a will and soon the wilderness of 
your business-life will bloom and blossom as the 
rose. 

Your wilderness may be your farm. It may 
be so rough and stony that you are tempted to 
relax your efforts and be content with the second 
best. What has been said of other callings ap- 
plies equally to you. Faithful and persistent 
labour will work wonders. Regard the difficulties 
of the situation as a challenge to your manhood, 
and rejoice to be a labourer together with God 
amid the great forces of nature. 

Is your wilderness a place of disappointment? 
Bereavement? Obscurity or adversity? Jesus 
has been there and, what is more, He has re- 
turned. 

Why did He return? Because He fought His 
way through and came out with flying colours. 
"And Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit 
into Galilee: and there went out a fame of Him 
through all the region round about." "Jesus re- 
turned!" 

A great many who go up into the wilderness 
never come back. What an alarming proportion 
of the Israelites fell in the wilderness ! They 
failed to reach the land of promise because of 
unbelief. Unbelief and disobedience decided their 
destiny. Their example is a warning to us. 
There is a wilderness we must all pass through if 
we would wear the unfading crown of manhood 
or womanhood. By faith and prayer we may 



The Advent of a Conqueror 197 



not only pass through the wilderness, but learn 
at all times and in every place to trust and obey, 
to do God's will in God's way. The way out of 
the wilderness may mean the way of the Cross. 
Some saints are chosen to serve, and some to suf- 
fer. One remark made by the Lord to Ananias, 
respecting Saul, of Tarsus, is very significant, "I 
will show him how great things he must suffer 
for My name's sake." The reproach of Christ 
may entail suffering, but let us rejoice that we 
are counted worthy to suffer for His name's sake. 
And above all let us continue, "Looking onto 
Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith; who 
for the joy that was set before Him endured the 
cross, despising the shame, and is set down at 
the right hand of the throne of God." 

"Jesus returned" from the wilderness and it is 
instructive to note how He returned. He did not 
come forth weak and emaciated. He "returned 
in the power of the Spirit." The glory of a 
divinely developed manhood was upon Him. He 
came forth full of spiritual power, ready for all 
the exacting and exhausting demands that were 
henceforth to be made upon Him. How majestic 
is the tread of the man who comes forth from 
"that great and terrible wilderness," "in the 
power of the Spirit!" The smile of divine ap- 
proval sat upon the brow of the Saviour. This 
cannot be said of all who emerge from the strug- 
gle. Some come forth bearing the scars of the 
conflict and others creep out exhausted, looking 



Soul Crises 



very much worse for the encounter. They failed 
to appreciate the purpose and possibilities of the 
wilderness. The wilderness is the place where 
decisive decisions are made, where we recognize 
"whose we are" and decide "whom we will 
serve." We regard the wilderness as a place 
from which we should escape as soon as possible. 
If we are in the wilderness we will make a fear- 
ful mistake if we leave it without the divine 
anointing. If we, like our Master, return "in 
the power of the Spirit," our fellows will be con- 
strained to admit that the wilderness experience 
has been worth while. 

If it is instructive to learn how "Jesus returned," 
it is equally instructive to learn where He came 
to. "And Jesus returned in the power of the 
Spirit into GaHlee." Having graduated from the 
wilderness with honours, we would naturally ex- 
pect to hear of Him labouring in Judea, the royal 
province, and having His headquarters in Jeru- 
salem. Such, however, was not the case. He re- 
turned, not to Judea, but into Galilee, — Galilee, 
the ordinary work-a-day-province. Into Galilee 
with its opportunities and its needs Jesus came 
again to preach the Kingdom of God. After gain- 
ing a unique victory and receiving a fresh influx 
of divine power. He did not despise Galilee, He 
did not feel that He would be wasting His time 
and talents on Galileans, but threw Himself heart 
and soul into the work of ministering to the 
needs of the common people. As we return vie- 



The Advent of a Conqueror 199 



torious from our moral and spiritual crises, we 
too are anxious for Christian work. With the 
joy of battle in our breasts, we yearn for con- 
quest, but we would like to choose our Galilee. 
In our present position we feel too cramped for 
glorious achievement. If we could choose our 
Galilee, we probably would choose the front and 
there in the limelight do deeds of daring and win 
the applause of an admiring world. Men are 
needed at the front. All honour to the men who 
have responded to the call. Men are also needed 
behind the scenes. It may be your lot and mine 
to work where there is nothing to thrill or nerve 
to action, where there is no applause and little 
or no appreciation. But after all it is behind the 
scenes where men are made. Every man who goes 
to the front is an expert. Behind the scenes he 
was drilled to act with the precision of a piece of 
machinery. Behind the scenes, in our humble 
Galilee, let us give of our best, and eventually 
recognition and appreciation will come. "And 
Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit into 
Galilee: and there went out a fame of Him 
through all the region round about." Even in 
Galilee Jesus became famous. Some have 
achieved fame in Europe, others by the discovery 
of the Poles. It may not be our privilege to ride 
on seas of glory, but let us make an honest at- 
tempt to merit fame at home. We need not be 
concerned about the fame, but we should be very 
much concerned about the power. Only men of 



200 



Soul Crises 



spiritual power can share in the Master's work 
of extending and establishing the Kingdom of 
God. 



CHAPTER XV 



A NATIONAL CRISIS 

But I ivill teach you the good and the right ivay: Only fear 
the Lord, and serve Him in truth <with all your heart; for con- 
sider houj great things He hath done for you. — I Sam. XII, 
23, 24. 

UR text is found among the concluding 
words of one of the most significant 
speeches ever delivered before a national as- 
sembly. This great speech was delivered by one 
of the noblest of the noble men whose names 
adorn the annals of Jewish history. He was at 
once a prophet, a priest, and a judge. Dedicated 
to the service of God before he was born, his life 
had been one long dual act of divine worship and 
devotion to duty. Samuel was a living embodi- 
ment of righteousness, and as such he commanded 
respect. Added to his integrity and his unique 
position in the nation, were years of experience 
of the stern realities of life, and when this ven- 
erable man with his marred visage and his hoary 
locks stands up and motions for silence, the flower 
and the strength of Israel do well to give good 
heed. 

This was a great occasion. It was a great oc- 
201 



202 



Soul Crises 



casion for the king. There he stands, a young 
man of prepossessing appearance, and magnificent 
proportions, powerful in body and supple in limb, 
head and shoulders above his fellows, honesty 
upon his visage and a god-like purpose kindling in 
his soul. There stands Saul, the son of Kish, he 
is the Lord's anointed. This is a great day for 
him, for he has just been crowned king of Israel. 
This was a great occasion for the people. They 
had come from Dan to Beersheba, and had just 
witnessed the coronation ceremony. They stood 
on the threshold of a new era. Henceforth they 
were to be known as a monarchy, they were to 
have a king to rule over them. This august oc- 
casion had been preceded by the crushing defeat 
of the Ammonites at Jabesh-gilead, and those war- 
riors were full of the joy of conquest. They saw 
visions and dreamed dreams of future supremacy. 
To a man, they were vibrating with feelings of af- 
fection and tokens of loyalty to their king. This 
was a great occasion for the prophet. He was 
master of ceremonies. He was the officiating high 
priest, to him had fallen the honour of crowning 
the first king of Israel. He was the most con- 
spicuous figure on that momentous occasion, his 
every act had been followed by wondering eyes, 
but the fact of notoriety did not make it a great 
occasion to him. He was impressed, not with the 
grandeur, but with the solemnity of the occasion. 

There is such a thing as progress downwards, 
and where the nation saw a climax he saw a crisis, 



A National Crisis 



203 



and as he rose to speak the scene was dramatic 
in the extreme. The young king and his jubilant 
subjects were about to hear something they would 
remember long after the venerable prophet was 
dead and buried. As he is assisted to the plat- 
form from which he is to deliver his inaugural ad- 
dress, he is greeted with a tremendous ovation. 
He is the grand old man of the nation, for up- 
wards of forty years he has interpreted to them 
the divine will, and as he begins his speech, the 
people give him the reception he so richly de- 
serves. That Samuel was a powerful and con- 
vincing speaker is attested by the fragments of 
his great speech which have come down to us. 
He had no use for flattery, although he knew how 
to touch and play upon a popular chord. 

He began his immortal utterance with a re- 
minder of his having acceded to their request — a 
request which had not been for anything base or 
trivial, but a request fraught with far-reaching 
issues, they had requested a king. Imagine the 
enthusiasm when reference was made to His 
Majesty. Listen to the cheers as, with a wave 
of his hand, the prophet cried, "Behold your 
king! the king who is henceforth to walk before 
you." There was a subdued hush when the proph- 
et referred to his age. "I am old and gray- 
headed." I have walked before you from my 
childhood unto this day. My life has been lived 
in the open. I have moved in and out among 
you. You are acquainted with my manner of life 



204 



Soul Crises 



and now, "Behold, here I am: witness against me 
before the Lord, and before his anointed, whose 
ox have I taken? or whose ass have I taken? or 
of whose hand have I received any bribe to 
blind mine eyes therewith? and I will restore it 
you." The effect produced by this public chal- 
lenge was tremendous. To a man, the people 
cried, "Thou hast not defrauded us, nor oppressed 
us, neither hast thou taken aught of any man's 
hand." It was a daring challenge, and a remark- 
able vindication. I do not for a moment imagine 
that Samuel was seeking self-aggrandizement by 
such a spectacular vindication of his official purity. 
It was rather a means to an end. He had some- 
thing to say of supreme significance, and he 
wanted to enjoy the confidence of his hearers and 
also to make them feel that he had their highest 
interests at heart. It was an impressive moment 
when the prophet called upon God and the king 
to witness between him and his hearers. Then he 
pronounced the awe-inspiring name of Jehovah, 
and requested that there be no more demonstra- 
tion. He wanted them to be quiet, and listen to 
the burden of his speech. 

"Now therefore stand still that I may reason 
with you before the Lord." Ever since the day 
on which you sent a deputation demanding a king, 
your request has given me food for thought. On 
that occasion the supposed advantages enjoyed 
by the Philistines and the Hittites, by Syria, Am- 
mon, Moab, and Edom were cited to me. Your 



A National Crisis 



205 



contention was that these respective peoples have 
kings to go before them into battle, while you 
are seriously handicapped because you have no 
king. To-day, I wish to emphasize the funda- 
mental fact in our history. It is this, Israel has 
always had a King, you have been clamouring 
for a change of government, and your dissatisfac- 
tion warrants the assertion that you have failed 
to realize our unique national ideal. Had you 
been faithful to God, ours would have been the 
strongest and most beneficent form of government 
on the face of the earth. Your plea to me, as 
expressed by your delegation, was that you wanted 
to be like other nations, whereas our distinctive 
glory has been to be unlike them in election, in 
character, and in destiny. 

Let this thought sink deep into your hearts, 
Israel has always had a King. Who is our King? 
"It is the Lord." Where is the king among the 
surrounding nations, upon whom you have turned 
your distorted vision, who can compare in power 
and in glory with our King? Our King is great 
in conquest and achievement, great in character 
and resources. Contemplating His character and 
achievements our great lawgiver cried, "Who is 
like unto thee, O Lord, glorious in holiness, fear- 
ful in praises, doing wonders." You revere the 
memory of our great national heroes, and you 
kindle the fires of patriotism in the breasts of 
your children by reciting the exploits of Moses 
and Aaron, and telling of the remarkable progress 



206 



Soul Crises 



made by our forefathers, from the land of bond- 
age into the goodly heritage which is now our 
home. I commend you for your zeal, but who 
made Moses and Aaron a possibihty? "It is the 
Lord that advanced Moses and Aaron, and that 
brought your fathers up out of the land of Egypt. 
This is an important piece of our history which 
you have overlooked. The Lord is the funda- 
mental fact of our national life. Think you, 
Moses of his own free will and accord would 
ever have bid defiance to Pharaoh, and cham- 
pioned our cause in Egypt? No, never! The 
Lord appeared to him in the bush of flame and 
called him to undertake this herculean task. 
That Moses was reluctant and pleaded inability 
is a matter of history, but he went because of the 
assurance he received that the Lord was with him. 
That the Lord was with Moses and Aaron was 
demonstrated to the satisfaction of our enslaved 
ancestors, and moreover to the satisfaction of 
Pharaoh. It was the Lord who caused our 
fathers to triumph over the greatest empire in 
the world. Pharaoh would compare favourably 
with any of the kings you cited to me, nay, he 
would overshadow them all put together, and yet, 
what was he to withstand the Lord our King? 

You reminded me of the victories of the kings 
around us, but what are they in comparison to 
the victories gained over Sihon and Og? Our 
fathers begged leave to pass through the Amorite 
land. ^ Sihon refused, and prepared to give battle. 



A National Crisis 



207 



Every man in the nation fit to bear arms fought 
in the Amorite army against Israel. A desperate 
struggle ensued, and the most callous among you 
cannot deny that it was no mere human force that 
enabled our fathers, unused as they were to war- 
fare, to subdue so formidable a king and con- 
queror as Sihon. Og, the king of Bashan, and his 
people were the remnants of the giants, in height 
they were like cedars, and in strength like oaks, 
but they were routed by our ancestors who went 
against them in the name of the Lord. Every 
great engagement in our history supports the 
basal fact of our national life, that the Lord is 
our King. Time would fail to tell of all the 
righteous acts of the Lord, of the glorious con- 
quests which He wrought by the hand of Moses 
and of Joshua. Where is there a king to be com- 
pared to our King? That the Lord is our King 
is supported by two series of facts which are so 
evident that he who runs may read. The first 
series demonstrates that whenever we as a people 
have forsaken the Lord we have come to grief, 
and the second likewise proves that whenever we 
as a nation have repented of our sins and cried 
unto the Lord, we have been delivered. When 
our fathers sinned, the Lord gave them into the 
hand of Sisera, but when in penitence and faith 
they sought the Lord "the stars in their courses 
fought against Sisera." Again and yet again, they 
went and served other gods; and the Lord brought 
upon them the hosts of the Moabites, the Midian- 



208 



Soul Crises 



ites, and the Philistines, and when they repented 
of their evil and turned again, the Lord raised up 
Barak and Deborah, Gideon and Jephthah, Sam- 
son and Samuel and ye dwelled safe. These are 
a few of the mighty acts of the Lord our King. 
Other kings doubtless can boast of conquests, but 
can they boast of conquests such as these? 

And now what have you done? In the light 
of the great fundamental fact of our history 
where do you stand? You have sinned. You 
have proved yourselves unworthy of the glorious 
traditions of our race. You have despised your 
birthright by requesting a king when the Lord 
your God was your King. Behold the heavens; 
not a cloud in sight. To impress upon you the 
awfulness of your sin, I will call upon the Lord 
and He will send thunder and rain. The prophet 
prayed. Instantly the lightning flashed and the 
thunder rolled. The panic stricken people be- 
sought the prophet to pray for them. At the be- 
ginning of this inaugural address they felt secure 
in the presence of their king, but now they see 
what powder both he and his troops combined can 
summon to check the fury of the storm. They are 
helpless before this demonstration of divine 
power. "And all the people greatly feared the 
Lord and Samuel." 

The prophet had proved what he set out to 
prove, the awful nearness of God to man, and 
of man to God. He had shown them the place 



A National Crisis 



209 



God must occupy in the human breast. The peo- 
ple in their foolhardiness evidently had thought 
that loyalty and obedience to their king would be 
the sum total of their moral requirements, but the 
prophet charges them to remember that having a 
king in no sense and in no degree exempts them 
from their moral and spiritual obligations to God. 
The people now rightly felt that they had rejected 
God and also the prophet, and they wanted to 
know what Samuel's future attitude would be. 

His reply was worthy of his character and of 
his God. "Moreover as for me, God forbid that 
I should sin against the Lord in ceasing to pray 
for you, but I will teach you the good and the 
right way, only fear the Lord and serve Him in 
truth with all your heart, for consider how great 
things He hath done for you." 

For its immediate effect on a national assembly 
this speech has few equals. But a more serious 
question remains, What effect is it going to have 
upon us? When delivered this address had only 
a local, or at least a national significance, but the 
principle it enforces is eternal, and capable of 
universal application. We have not listened to 
it to good purpose unless we have felt the force of 
the fundamental fact of all national, social, and 
individual Hfe, namely, the fact of God. We 
have failed to grasp its abiding significance unless 
we are convinced that, as God wrought out the 
destiny of His ancient people. He is working out 



2IO 



Soul Crises 



the destiny of His people to-day. And we will 
not profit by this instructive speech unless we ap- 
ply its principles and its warnings to our own na- 
tion, yea, to our own lives. 

In these strenuous times thinkers are seeking 
to determine what is the best form of government. 
You may wonder what form of government I 
favor, whether I favor a Hmited monarchy or a 
democratic form of government. Brethren! I 
have spoken altogether in vain unless I have con- 
vinced you that for one I beheve the world is 
God-ruled. We have been told repeatedly that 
the critics are endeavoring to eliminate the super- 
natural from the Bible. They cannot do it, even 
though they should try. What is more, no man, 
whether he be sceptic, critic, or diplomat, can 
eliminate the supernatural from national, social, 
and individual life. Depend upon it, whoever is 
winning or losing, God in Christ is marching on. 
Jesus Christ our Saviour is the King of Kings 
and Lord of Lords. The place and power of 
Christ as the King of men may be disputed by 
the lovers of mammon and the despisers of jus- 
tice, but it is an indisputable fact nevertheless and 
unless the worshippers of mammon and the op- 
pressors of mankind desist and repent, they are 
doomed. If God spake in the terrible accents of 
thunder at the behest of Samuel think you He is 
mute to-day? God is speaking to us all from 
Europe because we have disregarded His author- 
ity. He is bidding us note the consequences of 



A National Crisis 211 

sin. And this we cannot deny, the world has put 
God behind the back too long. May God have 
mercy upon us! In deep contrition let us ac- 
knowledge His righteous rule. 



I 



CHAPTER XVI 



THE MAN WE MOST URGENTLY NEED 

Moreover as for me, God forbid that I should sin against the 
Lord in ceasing to pray for you. — I Sam. XII, 23. 



J- own heart. He expressed himself thus in a 
crisis. Nothing reveals the moral stature of a 
man so clearly as his attitude in a critical moment. 
A crisis had been reached in the history of the 
children of Israel. They were a distinguished 
people, the children of the covenant, God's own 
elect. Centuries before, God had entered into 
covenant relationship with Abraham, their father. 
Later, He had ratified the covenant by the giving 
of the Law. He had fed them with bread from 
heaven and given them a liberal supply of water 
in the desert. He had led them by a way that 
they knew not, and brought them to a land of 
plenty. He had routed their enemies, and blessed 
them with peace and prosperity. As a people 
they had enjoyed a unique experience. God had 
spoken to them as He had spoken to none other. 
He had lived among them and showed His glory, 
His power and compassion as He had shown it 
to none beside, but after all His exertions on 




words of a man after God's 



212 



The Man We Most Urgently Need 213 



their behalf, they miserably failed Him, they 
cast Him behind the back. They ignored His 
authority; for in preference to a heavenly King, 
they requested an earthly one. 

Thus, as I already have intimated, a crisis had 
been reached. With God as their King, the chil- 
dren of Israel had risen from a single family to 
be a first-rate nation. With God as their King, 
they had impressed other peoples with their 
power; and nations both far and near felt it to be 
a matter of policy to be on good terms with a 
people who had never lost in a righteous engage- 
ment. Time after time, God had raised up men 
to lead His armies on to victory and one of these 
sons of God was Samuel. He was the judge in 
Israel when the Israelites made their request for 
an earthly king. As God's representative he might 
have reasoned thus: This people by such a re- 
quest have intimated that they prefer an earthly 
monarch to a heavenly King, and consequently 
my services as the ambassador of the Most High 
are dispensed with. 

It would have been quite natural to retaliate and 
say if you are tired of God as your King you 
may accept my resignation as your prophet. Sam- 
uel did not take this course but chose a more ex- 
cellent way. True to his vocation, he told them 
of the consequences of their decision. He told 
them how grievously they had sinned, how they 
had wounded the heart of God, but instead of 
forgetting himself and his peculiar relationship 



214 



Soul Crises 



to God, as they had done, he said, "Moreover as 
for me, God forbid that I should sin against the 
Lord in ceasing to pray for you." 

Samuel was an exceptionally attractive charac- 
ter. Only a good man could give expression to 
such words as we have chosen for our text. His 
early life and work is full of inspiration and en- 
couragement to every pious youth. His strenu- 
ous labours on behalf of his country, together with 
his stainless career, is a concrete example of the 
purity and power of a life lived in uncompromis- 
ing integrity. He was dedicated to the service 
of God before he was born. He served the Lord 
from childhood to old age, and at the close of his 
public career he challenged the people to witness 
against him before the Lord, "Whose ox have I 
taken? or whose ass have I taken? or whom have I 
defrauded? whom have I oppressed? or of whose 
hand have I received any bribe to blind mine eyes 
therewith? and I will restore it you. And they 
said thou hast not defrauded us, nor oppressed us, 
neither hast thou taken ought of any man's hand." 
Samuel's object in this challenge was not so much 
to vindicate himself as to show that he was disin- 
terested. He was not impelled by any selfish mo- 
tive. He had no axe to grind. He was now an 
old man, and he knew that unless he enjoyed the 
confidence of his hearers his advice would be re- 
ceived with suspicion. After assuring the people 
that he had no ambitious intentions in this grave 
matter, he proved to the satisfaction of one and 



The Man We Most Urgently Need 215 



all that they had sinned grievously in desiring an 
earthly monarch when the Lord was their King. 
He asked for a sign from heaven. Immediately 
there was a great thunderstorm. The people were 
terrified and said to Samuel, "Pray for thy serv- 
ants unto the Lord thy God, that we die not: for 
we have added unto all our sins this evil to ask 
us a king. And Samuel said unto the people. 
Fear not: . . . For the Lord will not forsake His 
people for His great name's sake : because it hath 
pleased the Lord to make you a people unto Him- 
self. Moreover as for me, God forbid that I 
should sin against the Lord in ceasing to pray 
for you." 

In this emphatic utterance of the prophet, we 
can hardly fail to recognize two outstanding fea- 
tures regarding prayer, i.e., the place he gave 
it, and the light in which he viewed it. Consider 
the Place he gave it. He was a renowned prophet. 
For many years during his early ministry he as- 
sisted in the Temple, and it is recorded of him 
that "he judged Israel all the days of his life." 
Was there ever a better judge in the land than 
Samuel who gave intercessory prayer first place? 
Is it not remarkable that this man who had dis- 
tinguished himself as a priest, as a prophet, and 
as a judge should esteem intercessory prayer as 
the highest vocation available to man? 

There are certain individuals who take cheap 
and shallow views of life who seek to inform us 
that it is foolish to pray as prayer is absolutely 



2l6 



Soul Crises 



in vain. I sincerely hope we can refute such argu- 
ments by our own experience. Supported by the 
long experience of Samuel and the best men in 
every age we reply, "More things are wrought 
by prayer than the world dreams of," and if ever 
there was a clear call for the people of God to 
pray, that call comes to us to-day. It is to be 
feared that prayer does not retain the place in 
our individual lives it occupied in the lives of 
our fathers. They took time to meditate upon 
God and to pray. As a result, there were giants 
in the land in those days. They were moral and 
spiritual giants and their deep piety found fre- 
quent expression in earnest, believing, prevailing 
prayer. The commendable tenacity with which 
they besieged the throne of Grace and clung to 
the mighty promises of God resulted in showers 
of blessing. "God forbid that I should sin against 
the Lord in ceasing to pray for you." 

You will pardon my purposely going a little 
way behind the text and saying, That we need to 
intercede with God on our own behalf. Let us 
acknowledge, once for all, we cannot live the life 
of faith without prayer. We need the abundant 
mercy of God to pardon and cleanse us from all 
unrighteousness. We need the energizing power 
of God to enable us to overcome every weakness 
and to equip us for service. We need divine 
guidance and divine companionship. We have 
been informed by a Christian poet that "prayer is 
the Christian's vital breath — that prayer is his 



The Man We Most Urgently Need 217 

native air." If that be so we must live in the 
atmosphere of prayer. 

Do we know anything about prayer as an at- 
mosphere? The atmosphere of prayer is a 
healthy atmosphere. No feeble-bodied, weak- 
kneed, dim-eyed Christian can live in the atmos- 
phere of prayer. They all become "strong in the 
Lord and in the power of his might.'' The atmos- 
phere of prayer is a clear atmosphere. It en- 
ables us to penetrate the darkness of political 
strife and international gloom and discern the 
immovable pillars of the great white throne. How 
the vision is intensified when we learn "always to 
pray and not to faint" I The spiritual giants of 
former days saw God not only on a cloudless day, 
but in the darkness and in the storm. "He maketh 
the clouds his chariot and walketh on the wings 
of the wind." The atmosphere of prayer is a 
bracing atmosphere. It stimulates and invigor- 
ates until men begin to realize what God means 
when He says, "One shall chase a thousand and 
two shall put ten thousand to flight." Come! 
oh you spiritual cripples! Ye lame and halt and 
blind! and learn to pray. 

Again, we need to intercede with God on be- 
half of our homes. Samuel came from a praying 
home. He had a praying mother. He was a 
child of prayer. His mother taught him to pray. 
He had prayed all his life, until it became the 
master conviction of his soul that intercession was 
the mightiest lever at his command. How happy 



2l8 



Soul Crises 



the parents who have an altar in their own homes! 
How blest the child, who like Samuel is taught 
the efficacy of prayer in his own home ! Those 
of us who are parents have grave responsibilities. 
We need guidance in the discharge of our impor- 
tant duties. The only way we can transform our 
responsibility into a divinely appointed privilege 
is by the gift of intercession. To train children 
aright is not an easy matter, but it becomes a 
sacred trust when we learn to pray without ceas- 
ing for our homes. I plead with you, one and all, 
to establish the time-honoured custom of family 
worship. Build again those family altars which 
have been broken down. Young people ! as mem- 
bers of the home, I ask you to assist in this most 
urgent task. Only as you pray at stated periods 
in the privacy of your own room, can you live 
lives of uncompromising integrity and fill the at- 
mosphere you breathe with the fragrance of an 
unsullied life. Pray alone ! by all means, but do 
not let that suffice. Take an active part in fam- 
ily worship. Your hearty co-operation will stim- 
ulate and encourage your parents, and make you 
a greater power for good. Our parents pleaded 
with God on our behalf long before we came to 
realize the power of prayer, therefore we are 
unspeakably indebted to them, and we are in duty 
bound to pray for those of whom the world is 
not worthy. The power of prayer has been il- 
lustrated in every great religious awakening, and 
it has invariably emanated from the home. 



The Man We Most Urgently Need Itg 



Again, we need to intercede with God on be- 
half of the church. Our Master and Lord has 
left us a most inspiring example regarding prayer 
for the church, "the church of God which He 
purchased with His own blood." The words of 
Jesus have gripped the imagination of the world, 
but the prayers of Jesus must ever make the most 
eloquent appeal to the would-be intercessor. It 
was a no less distinguished person than our Lord 
who said, "Men ought always to pray and not to 
faint." His own example was the most telling il- 
lustration of what He taught. Every great event 
in His public ministry was preceded by prayer. 
Often after working hard all day. He would re- 
tire into a mountain apart and spend the night in 
prayer. You say, "What an exhausting business !" 
No ! We have a mistaken idea that intercession 
is exacting and exhausting. Jesus, by word and 
deed, proved it to be divinely refreshing. What 
was the meaning of His reply to the enquiry of 
His disciples, "I have meat to eat ye know not 
of?" The earthly career of our Lord was short. 
To His followers He said, "It is expedient for you 
that I go away." But before His departure He 
lifted his eyes to heaven and made intercession on 
behalf of all believers. "I pray for them: I pray 
not for the world, but for those whom Thou hast 
given Me; for they are Thine — Neither for these 
only do I pray, but for them also that believe on 
Me through their word; that they may all be one; 
even as Thou Father art in Me, and I in Thee, 



220 



Soul Crises 



that they also may be one in Us: that the world 
may believe that Thou didst send Me." Al- 
though our Lord has passed into the heavens, the 
work of intercession is still one of the offices He 
fills by divine appointment. 

If you need any further incentive to pray for 
the church, take a glance at St. Paul and all the 
great saints who have wrought righteousness in 
the earth. St. Paul always appears to advantage, 
but he is never more irresistible than when on his 
knees. 'Tor this cause I bow my knees unto the 
Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, of whom the 
whole family in heaven and earth is named, that 
He would grant you, according to the riches of 
His glory, to be strengthened with might by His 
Spirit in the inner man; that Christ may dwell 
in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and 
grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with 
all saints what is the breath, and length, and depth, 
and height; and to know the love of Christ, which 
passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with 
all the fulness of God." 

The work of Martin Luther only can be ac- 
counted for by the fact that he prayed. He 
prayed I and became the monk that shook the 
world I Listen to John Knox as he prays, "Give 
me Scotland or I die." John Wesley was also a 
man of faith and prayer. 

While we rejoice to-day in the gift of great 
preachers, the need of the hour is for interces- 
sors, for men who will stand between the porch 



The Man We Most Urgently Need ill 



and the altar and cry, "O Lord, how long? Wilt 
Thou not revive us again?" Further, we need 
to intercede with God on behalf of our country. 
The prophets of Israel were intensely patriotic 
and Samuel was no exception to the rule. Al- 
though deeply wounded in spirit, because his peo- 
ple had sinned so grievously, he continued to pray 
for the nation. A nation needs the prayers of its 
intercessors at all times, but never more urgently 
than in the hour of its sin and shame. When we 
meditate upon our country and its conquests, the 
prevailing tendency is to sing, "My country, 'tis 
of thee," but when we remember our country 
with its moral and spiritual needs, we are con- 
strained to pray. 

The national anthem and all our great national 
hymns always appeal to us and why? Because 
they are prayers by which we approach and sup- 
plicate the great white throne. Christian patriot- 
ism finds its most appropriate expression in prayer. 
At a time like this, when war is raging, when 
thrones are tottering, when thousands of our 
noblest young men have responded to the call of 
their king and country, when thousands already 
have made the supreme sacrifice, and laid down 
their lives, it is the bounden duty of every loyal 
Christian to pray that God will arise and let His 
enemies be scattered. You are doubtless praying 
that we as a nation may be delivered from our 
foes without, but mighty as are our foes without, 
they are not so much to be feared as our foes 



222 



Soul Crises 



within. 

Admiral Beatty gave us food for reflection 
when he said, * 'England will conquer when she 
gets down on her knees." What a testimony to 
the place and power of prayer. Oh you inter- 
cessors ! Pray on ! "More things are brought by 
prayer than the world dreams of!" Therefore 
pray! Pray that those moral and social evils 
which thrive upon the life blood of our brothers 
and sisters may soon be overthrown. Pray that 
we as a people may impress the world, not so 
much with our military efficiency, as with our 
love of fair-play, our sense of justice, and our de- 
sire for righteousness and peace with honour. In- 
tercessors on behalf of their beloved land never 
had a more urgent call than they have to-day. 

Finally we need to intercede with God on behalf 
of the world. The Christian program is all-em- 
bracing. Jesus said, "Go ye into all the world and 
preach the gospel to every creature." When we 
besiege the throne of Grace the world is our par- 
ish! Our motto is, "Christ for the world; the 
world for Christ." Many weapons have been in- 
vented to insure the conquest of the world. What 
weapon will begin to compare with intercessory 
prayer? "The weapons of our warfare are not 
carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling 
down of strongholds, casting down imaginations 
and every high thing that exalteth itself against 
the knowledge of God, and bringing into captiv- 
ity every thought to the obedience of Christ." 



The Man We Most Urgently Need 223 



"Moreover as for me, God forbid that I should 
sin against the Lord in ceasing to pray for you." 

In taking a parting glance at our text, notice 
the Light in which the prophet viewed intercessory 
prayer. To cease praying for his people would 
be a sin against the Lord. It is imperative for us 
to pray ! Our Lord both by example and precept 
has commanded us to pray. "Men ought always 
to pray and not to faint." It is our duty to pray. 
Therefore as we recognize the needs of our homes, 
of the church, and the world, let us say in the lan- 
guage of Samuel, "Moreover as for me, God for- 
bid that I should sin against the Lord in ceasing 
to pray for you." 



CHAPTER XVII 



AN EFFECTIVE WEAPON 

He arose, and smote the Philistines until his hand ivas aweary, 
and his hand clave unto the sivord. — II Sam. XXIII, lo. 

THE hero of our text is Eleazar, one of 
David's three mighty men. In graphic 
terms we are told how he achieved fame. The 
Philistines had come up against the Israelites, 
who, instead of charging and routing their ene- 
mies, in the name of Jehovah, beat a hasty and 
disorderly retreat. It was an embarrassing sit- 
uation. To see the men of Israel running pur- 
sued by Philistines was humiliating in the ex- 
treme. But, in '*the armies of the living God," 
the soldiers are not all cowards, and it is a minor 
detail to Him to save by many or by few. El- 
eazer, coming upon the scene at this critical junc- 
ture, turned the battle at the gate. He saw at a 
glance the true state of affairs, and without wait- 
ing to ask the reason his fellow-soldiers had fled 
in confusion, with never so much as a thought of 
following their inglorious example, ''he arose, and 
smote the Philistines until his hand was weary, 
and his hand clave unto the sword." In our text 
we see a great warrior with a most effective 

224 



An Effective Weapon 225 



weapon, and the irresistible conclusion to which 
we are carried is, that he knew how to use it. 
There was no question about the result of the en- 
counter. The Philistines were utterly routed. 
"And the Lord wrought a great victory that day, 
and the people returned after him only to spoil." 
We have our battles to fight, and our conduct in 
many an unexpected crisis will decide the fortunes 
of the day. 

The Philistines of wrong are still defying "the 
armies of the living God." With such blasphem- 
ers, there can be no compromise. Fighting men, 
resourceful and courageous, are in urgent demand. 
Never in the history of the world were there 
greater opportunities for conquest and achieve- 
ment than await the "mighty men" of to-day. Our 
weapons in this holy war "are not carnal, but 
mighty through God to the pulling down of strong- 
holds." For both offensive and defensive pur- 
poses we are splendidly equipped. Into our hands 
has been put "the sword of the Spirit, which is the 
word of God." As we review our ranks it is a 
great relief to find that we have been well sup- 
plied with swords. 

But as we prepare for the fray, as we note the 
unskilful wielding of their weapons on the part 
of so many of our men, we are soon convinced 
that the supreme need of every soldier is a tighter 
grip of "the sword of the Spirit." To every mem- 
ber of the Christian Stalf, it is an alarming ex- 
perience to discover that so many of our soldiers 



226 



Soul Crises 



have not learned to handle the sword effectively. 
It is nothing short of a tragedy to see men exam- 
ining the handle, when they should be wielding the 
sword. How hopeless the situation appears when 
so many of the rank and file are speculating as to 
whether the sword will bear the strain likely to 
be put upon it! And others, with a patronizing 
air, informing us that while some notable victories 
have been won by the aid of this weapon in the 
past, it is now old-fashioned, out of date, and con- 
sequently must be hung among the relics and 
marked obsolete. 

While we are debating the merits of the sword, 
the Philistines of iniquity are laughing us to scorn. 
But thank God the distressing situation is still 
saved by the unexpected appearance of an El- 
eazar, who rushes single-handed into combat to 
the discomfiture of his enemies and the amaze- 
ment of his fellows. Eleazar's blade was keen be- 
cause he knew how to use it. Although faced by 
fearful odds, '*he arose, and smote the Philistines 
until his hand was weary, and his hand clave unto 
the sword." What a fighter! A mighty man, 
with a poor weapon, will make inroads where a 
half-hearted soldier, with the best sword obtain- 
able will turn and flee. Eleazar had faith in God, 
faith in himself, and unbounded confidence in his 
sword. When we who are chosen to be soldiers 
rise up and smite the Philistines, we shall be fully 
convinced that "the word of God is quick, and 
powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, 



An Effective Weapon 



227 



piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and 
spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a dis- 
cerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart." 
"The word of God I" Who can estimate the di- 
mensions of its authority? It has been treasured 
as the most valuable asset of national and indi- 
vidual life. Kings and people have cried with 
equal enthusiasm, ''Thy word is a lamp unto my 
feet, and a light unto my path." Prophets and 
peasants have proved its power to quicken, to 
cheer, and to sustain. It has stood the most se- 
vere tests in the rude shocks of life, and to-day, 
as the result of a personal knowledge of its vital- 
ity, millions are prepared to bind it to their 
hearts. 

But, although the Bible has been cherished by 
its friends, its authority has been challenged and 
ridiculed by its foes. Early in its history Lucian 
declared Christianity to be "the latest folly in the 
world's madhouse." In the eighteenth century 
Voltaire allowed himself to describe the Bible as 
"a tissue of fables fit only for cobblers and tail- 
ors." Quite recently a college professor ques- 
tioned the wisdom of placing the Bible in the 
hands of our children. Thus from a variety of 
sources we are informed that the sword should 
take its place among the relics of the past. 

In replying to the question. Is the sword of the 
Spirit obsolete? I am going to give you the testi- 
mony of some of the ablest scholars, the most 
ardent critics, and some of the most influential 



228 



Soul Crises 



leaders of our race. My decision to bring these 
men before you to speak for themselves arises 
from the fact that so few take pains to examine 
the Bible for themselves, that so many are con- 
tent to be influenced by second-hand and third- 
rate opinions about the Bible, which are retailed 
in bar-rooms and at street corners, and I wish to 
prove to your satisfaction that any man, who, in 
these days, speaks disparagingly of the Bible is 
either wicked or insane. We hear a great deal 
about higher criticism. And from that school of 
higher criticism which is composed of the fore- 
most biblical scholars, as well as the most ardent 
believers, we have absolutely nothing to fear. In 
fact we are greatly indebted to our brave Chris- 
tian scholars who have undertaken their strenu- 
ous labours, not because they doubt or question, 
but because they believe that we have received "an 
authentic revelation of the One True God." ^ 

But there is another school of higher criticism 
very different from the one I have named. The 
late Dr. Watson in his book, God's Message to 
the Human Soul, states the case admirably in re- 
gard to this latter school. He says, "The Church 
is the guardian of the Bible, the critic is only its 
editor, his province is the letter, he may not med- 
dle with the spirit of the book. There is a danger 
that a swollen and omniscient criticism should 
break bounds and become the dictator to faith. 

^Principal Sir George Adam Smith, D.D., LL.D. Modern 
Criticism and the Preaching of the Old Testament. 



An Effective Weapon 



229 



The temptation of all specialism is insubordination 
to knowledge as a whole, the weakness of all spe- 
cialism is complacent ignorance of other depart- 
ments. When one critic of our day reduces the 
teaching of Jesus to a few sayings, and another, 
full of new wine, denies any epistles to St. Paul, 
one learns the limits of specialized scholarship and 
the folly of giving a blank check to critics of irre- 
sponsible judgment. One waits for the critic 
who shall boldly say, as some have been hinting, 
that Jesus was only a lay figure on which a beau- 
tiful tradition has been draped, and that He never 
lived any more than He rose from the dead. We 
shall then have the supreme irony of a scholar sit- 
ting within his study, and proving to his own sat- 
isfaction from a microscopic examination of 
manuscripts that there never has been any Christ, 
while outside his airless study, if he had only 
ears to hear the tramp of innumerable feet, he 
would know^ that the risen and triumphant Christ 
had for twenty centuries been marching along the 
high road of history in the living Church which is 
His Body and His instrument. His evidence and 
His manifestation." 

In spite of all that has been written or said 
against the Bible, it has survived every attack and 
is gaining an ever expanding influence upon every 
succeeding generation. In spite of obstacles the 
Bible has been translated into more languages and 
dialects than any other book in the world, while 
sales of copies of the Bible are far in excess of any 



230 



Soul Crises 



other book year by year. In listening to represen- 
tative witnesses regarding the place and power of 
the Holy Scriptures, the testimony is invariably 
the same. If we turn to literature Theodore 
Parker, so brilliant and so penetrating, says: 
"This collection of books has taken such a hold 
upon the world as has no other. The literature of 
Greece, which goes up like incense from that land 
of temples and heroic deeds, has not half the in- 
fluence of this book. It goes equally to the cot- 
tage of the plain man and the palace of the king. 
It is woven into the literature of the scholar and 
colours the talk of the street." ^ 

The masters in the realm of literature acknowl- 
edge their indebtedness to the Bible. No student 
of literature can study Shakespeare without real- 
izing the influence the Bible had upon him in his 
work. While Bacon, Macaulay, and Ruskin are 
loud in their praise of its inspiration and beauty 
of diction. Shall we sheathe this sword which has 
conquered and graced Literature? 

If we turn from literature to the great moral 
forces that make for righteousness, where will we 
find anything that begins to compare with the 
Bible? The Bible has changed the face of the 
whole civilized world. To the Bible we are in- 
debted for the rise of what we term modern civili- 
zation. Every great epoch in modern civilization 
is traceable to the Bible. An open Bible was re- 

* Dr. Gunsaulus in his memorable reply to Ingersoll. Bible vs. 
Infidelity. \ 



An Effective Weapon 231 



sponsible for the Reformation and the rise of 
Puritanism. These two epochs give the key to 
all that is vital and enduring in our national life. 
To the Bible we are indebted for the abolition of 
slavery, for the elevation of women, for the erec- 
tion of asylums of mercy in every civilized land. 
As a statesman Moses is still exerting a tremen- 
dous influence upon the world. We are indebted 
to him for an exposition of law. The Bible mes- 
sage to nations was never more applicable than 
it is to-day. "Righteousness exalteth a nation, but 
sin is a reproach to any people." True to this 
principle, nations have risen to eminence ; false to 
this principle, nations have dropped out of sight. 
By steady adherence to this principle our own na- 
tion has attained an unparalleled greatness. So 
long as we recognize that we are the stewards of 
God we shall prosper but if we, as a nation, for- 
get or ignore our obligations, we shall perish. 
Every patriot needs to give good heed to the 
words of Daniel Webster, "If we abide by the 
principles taught in the Bible, our country will 
go on prospering and to prosper, but if we and our 
our posterity neglect its instructions and authority, 
no man can tell how sudden catastrophe may over- 
whelm us and bury all our glory in profound ob- 
scurity." ^ 

Shall we sheathe this sword which has cham- 
pioned and continues to champion the cause of 
righteousness, and which is the exponent of free- 
^ Dr. Gunsaulus. Bible vs. Infidelity. 



232 



Soul Crises 



dom? In certain quarters it is popular to wax elo- 
quent about the brilliant achievements of Rome 
before she was influenced by Bible teaching. In 
her day, Rome was a great world-power. We 
cheerfully acknowledge her exploits and give her 
full credit for the part she played in civiHzation, 
but the history of Rome is a telling illustration of 
the fact that, "Righteousness exalteth a nation but 
sin is a reproach to any people." To ascertain her 
true condition we must listen to one of her own 
sons. Lucian^ writes: "If any one loves wealth 
and is dazed by gold, if any one measures happi- 
ness by purple and power, if any one brought up 
among flatterers and slaves has never had a con- 
ception of liberty, frankness, and truth; if any one 
has wholly surrendered himself to pleasure, full 
tables, carousals, lewdness, sorcery, and deceit, let 
him to go to Rome." With all her boasted pomp 
land power Rome wore the shackles of moral 
slavery. Where, I ask, will you find such oppres- 
sive slavery as among those who are the slaves 
of sin? 

Wherever the Bible message has been pro- 
claimed in its purity and power, slaves have been 
liberated, class distinctions have been obliterated, 
and men have been delivered from every form of 
moral bondage, until now the world is coming to 
recognize the Christian fact that where men avail 
themselves of that freedom which is freedom in- 
deed "there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision 

^ Dr. Gunsaulus. Bible vs. Infidelity. 



An Effective Weapon 



233 



nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond 
nor free : but Christ is all, and in all." 

It was the diligent study of the sacred page 
which led to the emancipation of Martin Luther, 
which brought him forth as the champion of re- 
ligious liberty, and enabled him to rescue western 
Christendom from ecclesiastical tyranny. It was 
his knowledge of man's inheritance in Christ 
Jesus imparted by ''the Word" that constrained 
John Knox to pray, "Give me Scotland, or I die." 
It was the same mighty sword that put fire in the 
blood of Garibaldi as he was seeking to effect the 
deliverance of his native land. As men rallied 
to his standard, some of them asked what they 
might expect as a reward of their labours. In 
effect he said, "I promise you hardships, suffering, 
and it may be death, but by God's grace I promise 
you a free Italy." They rallied to his standard 
to a man, and you know the result. 

Shall we sheathe this sword which has played 
such an important part in the physical, the moral, 
and the spiritual emancipation of the race? Shall 
we sheathe this sword which has been the safe- 
guard of science? With regard to science the 
Bible has suffered in the house of its friends. A 
great deal has been said with the avowed inten- 
tion of proving that science and the Bible do not 
agree; in fact, that they are in dire conflict. The 
reverse is the truth. The whole question has been 
grossly misrepresented, and aggravated by a mis- 
understanding of the claims of science and of 



234 



Soul Crises 



the function of the Bible. The Bible was never 
intended to be the textbook of science. But in- 
stead of entering upon the controversy about the 
Bible and geology, it will be more profitable to 
hear what two eminent scientific scholars have to 
say about the Bible. Francis Bacon, the great 
interpreter of nature, says, "There never was 
found in any age of the world either religion or 
law that did so highly exalt the public good as the 
Bible." The testimony of Professor James 
Dwight Dana,^ who died in 1895, who was 
recognized by the scientific world as one of the 
highest authorities on geology without regard to 
nationality, is of particular interest. He says, 
"The grand old book of God still stands and this 
old earth; the more its leaves are turned and pon- 
dered, the more will it sustain and illustrate the 
sacred word." 

I repeat, Shall we sheathe this sword which is 
the herald of a Christian civilization, which is the 
champion of freedom, the companion of science, 
and the handbook of religion? After all, it is as a 
book of religion that the Bible stands or falls. It 
is pre-eminently the book that reveals God. In 
its pages we hear God speak. It has led men by 
a new and living way into the Presence Chamber 
of the Eternal. The Bible is the textbook of 
reconciliation. It shows how heaven and earth 
blend, how righteousness and peace dwell to- 
gether, it reveals "a new world wherein dwelleth 

^ Dr. Gunsaulus. Bible vs. Infidelity. 



An Effective Weapon 



235 



righteousess." Unless we have heard God speak- 
ing to us in this book, we have missed its chief aim. 
Have we embraced its teaching? Have we claimed 
its "exceeding great and precious promises?" As 
we ponder the sacred page are we conscious of an 
attractive power? Every student of Holy Scrip- 
ture who is at all acquainted with the needs of his 
own nature is attracted to "a hill called Calvary." 

Let us learn to read the Bible like the illustrious 
John Seldon.^ He says : "I have surveyed most of 
the learning that is among the sons of men, yet at 
this moment I can recall nothing in them on which 
to rest my soul, save one from the sacred scrip- 
tures, which rises much on my mind. It is this: 
'The grace of God, which bringeth salvation, hath 
appeared unto all men, teaching us that denying 
ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live so- 
berly, righteously, and godly, in this present 
world; looking for that blessed hope, and the 
glorious appearing of the great God and our 
Saviour Jesus Christ; Who gave Himself for us, 
that He might redeem us from all iniquity, and 
purify unto Himself a peculiar people, zealous of 
good works.' " 

Shall we sheathe this sword? Ten thousand 
times. No ! We need it in every righteous engage- 
ment. Without it, in the great battle against the 
world, the flesh, and the devil, we would be van- 
quished. In the Bible we see one who is the 
brightness of the Father's glory and the express 

* Dr. Gunsaulus. Bible vs. Infidelity. 



236 



Soul Crises 



image of His Person. He stands forth as our 
Saviour and Friend. He tells us that God is our 
Father and that Heaven is our home. Have you 
any misgivings about this book? Are you afraid 
to place it in the hands of your children? Have 
any of you found your children to be the worse 
for reading its pages which glow with the very 
life and love of God? Ah, no! Many of our 
children had been happier and holier, had they 
read it more. When you get home, gather your , 
children together, open "the Word," and read; 
then kneel together, and call on the name of the 
God of Bethel, the God of Elijah! "the God and 
Father of our Lord Jesus Christ," and your ex- 
perience will be similar to the apostle who said: 
"Whether in the body or out of the body, I can- 
not tell." 

With an unrelaxable grip of "the sword of the 
Spirit" let us rise up and smite the Philistines until 
our hands are weary, and when we fall exhausted 
our hands will cleave unto the sword. 

There are two things it is imperative for us 
to learn. They are: that we have a most ef- 
fective weapon with which to fight the battles of 
the Lord, and that, almost everything depends 
upon our swordsmanship. Even after the battle, 
Eleazar's "hand clave unto the sword." How 
suggestive and how true ! Have we not seen ven- 
erable soldiers of Jesus Christ who were stricken 
in years and who talked of retiring from the 
fray? They could not do it! They went down 



An Effective Weapon 237 



the hill fighting! Their hands clave unto the 
sword! "Yea, though I walk through the valley 
of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for 
Thou art with me; Thy rod and Thy staff they 
comfort me." Brethren, fight on! This is a 
good fight! This is God's fight and let us help 
Him to win "a great victory." Of us may it be 
said, "He fought a good fight," and when he fell 
"his hand clave unto the sword !" 



CHAPTER XVIII 



CHRISTIAN COURAGE 
He steadfastly set His face to go to Jerusalem. — Luke IX, 51. 

THE majority of us are better acquainted 
with such aspects of our Lord's character 
as His meekness, tenderness, and compassion than 
we are with His courage. But we only need to be 
told to look for it to see how remarkably cour- 
ageous He was. Jesus was the bravest of the 
brave ! We search the gospels in vain for any- 
thing approaching cowardice, either in His public 
or private life. He is the only perfect example 
of the finest type of courage the world ever has 
seen. 

Our text reveals His attitude in the near pros- 
pect of death. *'And it came to pass, when the 
days were well-nigh come that He should be re- 
ceived up. He steadfastly set His face to go to 
Jerusalem." Mark the force of these words. He 
was not carried bound, He did not go reluctantly, 
"He steadfastly set His face." For several 
months He had been living in the shadow of the 
Cross. He was under no delusion regarding the 
future. He was well aware of what was before 
Him, yet He never hesitated. No! not for a 

238 



Christian Courage 



239 



moment, but imagine the conflict within I Think 
of His immaculate soul, so sensitive because so 
pure. 

People who possess refined natures are infinitely 
more susceptible to suffering than the coarse- 
grained and the vulgar. They experience pains 
that the sensual and the sordid know nothing of. 
This was the case with our Lord. None was ever 
so holy and undefiled as He. Hence the bitter 
struggle to overcome difficulty, disappointment, 
and the repugnance of death. We are apt to im- 
agine that Christ, being the Son of God, would 
not shrink from death as we do. He was the Son 
of God, He was also the Son of Man, and He is 
"the same yesterday, and to-day, and forever." 
But we miss the significance of His life and suf- 
ferings on our behalf, if we fail to see that He 
experienced to the full the agony of human woe. 
That cup was held to His lips. He drank it, and 
drained it to its bitterest dregs. "He steadfastly 
set His face to go to Jerusalem." 

Think of His years! He was a young man. 
Red blood was coursing freely through His veins. 
Life was as dear to Him as it is to any normal 
youth. The aged may repine and long to depart, 
but not so the young, especially those who are on 
the verge of a great career. The cry of youth 
is not for death, but life, for opportunity, for ex- 
pression, for expansion. Our natural inclination is 
not to droop, decay and die. We do not wish 
for death, but life I 



240 



Soul Crises 



" 'Tis life whereof our nerves are scant, 
'Tis life and fuller that we want." 

As we think of His years, we are in a better 
position to understand why He was troubled when 
a Greek deputation came and addressing Philip 
said, "Sir, we would see Jesus." When told of 
their earnest request He was profoundly moved 
and said, "The hour is come, that the Son of 
Man should be glorified." The petition of these 
pious Greeks gave Him the vision of a great op- 
portunity. The full significance of their request 
burst in upon Him like a flood of light. But the 
question was, how would He answer them ! Their 
invitation was prompted by the highest motives, 
and therefore worthy of kindly consideration. 
But what did it mean? Yes! What did it mean? 
As the tragedy of the situation gripped Him, He 
was troubled: He became visibly agitated, and 
can we wonder when we hear His significant re- 
ply, "Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground 
and die, it abideth alone : but if it die, it bringeth 
forth much fruit." He was the seed corn! The 
hour was approaching when He must die. It 
needs no vivid imagination to enter into the pathos 
of that occasion. Would the Lord Christ not 
have enjoyed the unspeakable privilege given to 
St. Paul, of carrying the good news of the King- 
dom over sea and land; news which would be 
welcomed and embraced and a nation born in a 
day? 



Christian Courage 



241 



But before Paul could-preach as he did, there 
was a vital preliminary. There was a death to 
die! Christ had volunteered to die to save the 
world and would He draw back? No! Not 
even this attractive proposition could allure Him 
from the path which was directing Him to "a hill 
called Calvary." Our Lord had all the ambition, 
all the high ideals, and all the enthusiasm of 
young manhood. He would have rejoiced as a 
strong man to be favoured with the exhilarating 
opportunity Hfe presents, but He did not come 
into the world for a good time. "He pleased not 
Himself," and "when the days were well-nigh 
come that He should be received up. He stead- 
fastly set His face to go to Jerusalem." 

Think of His experiences! They were so di- 
versified as to confirm the impression that "the 
prince of this world" had marshalled his forces 
at every strategic point to hinder our Lord's prog- 
ress, to defeat the divine purpose, or by any means 
to allure Him from the path He had deliberately 
chosen. We are apt to imagine, after his crush- 
ing defeat in the wilderness, that the devil would 
leave Christ severely alone. He did leave Him, 
but only for a season. And we must remember 
that from the time when Satan tempting Him 
said, "All these things will I give Thee, if Thou 
wilt fall down and worship me," until the day 
when James and John asked permission to call 
down fire from heaven, our Lord was persistently 
presented with the thought of leaving "the way of 



242 



Soul Crises 



the Cross," and yielding to the desires of the thou- 
sands who longed to proclaim Him King. Con- 
sider what it meant for Christ to adhere so strictly 
to His resolve "to go to Jerusalem," to Geth- 
semane, to Calvary when the people were wanting 
to set Him on the throne of David! There was 
something to be said in favour of the popular de- 
mand. Did not the Jews need a king? Was not 
the Lord Christ a Jew? Was it not a standing 
disgrace for God's chosen people to be under a 
heathen power? Was not the time ripe for an- 
other Maccabeus to strike in the name of God? 
Ah, yes ! The advocates of striking a popular 
but effective blow believed the opportune moment 
had arrived. What was more, Christ had been 
assured of the wholehearted support of the prince 
of this world if He would only yield to the popu- 
lar demand. 

This temptation still stands athwart the path- 
way of every ambassador of Christ. What things 
we could accomplish if we were in a different po- 
sition! What reforms would be wrought if we 
could only enjoy popularity ! But to live unknown, 
to walk the hard, unromantic highway seems not 
to be worth while. Young man ! Jesus trod that 
way. He had all the power and glory of the 
world offered Him if He would consent to be 
popular, but He refused point-blank and "stead- 
fastly set His face to go to Jerusalem." Doubt- 
less we would have questioned His wisdom and 
prophesied His oblivion, but regardless of the 



Christian Courage 



243 



consequences He went on. He had the courage 
to be unpopular! He dared to be singular! 
"He steadfastly set His face to go to Jerusalem." 
Our Lord did not despise popularity any more 
than He sought it. The popularity He enjoyed 
was well-deserved. He was not a time server, 
but a genuine lover of men. "He spake as one 
having authority and not as the scribes." He 
had a message from God and expressed Himself 
so clearly and with such conviction that officers 
sent to arrest Him were arrested by His elo- 
quence, and returned to their masters saying, 
"Never man spake like this man." The begin- 
ning of His Galilean ministry was full of promise. 

The news that the long expected Messiah had 
come was carried from lip to lip until the whole 
country rang with His name. He performed 
many wonderful miracles and the people flocked 
to see and hear Him. It seemed as though the 
Galileans had with one consent become Christians. 
But their Messianic hopes were grossly materialis- 
tic. It soon became evident that they were ob- 
sessed with the idea of a great political conquest. 
Believing the time ripe for revolt, they sought to 
force the issue by making Christ king. He de- 
liberately refused to yield to their demand. He 
told them plainly that He was not a political agi- 
tator any more than He was a "Bread-king." 
This brought about a crisis, and those Galileans 
who had been His most ardent admirers received 
a sudden chill and forsook Him forthwith. They 



244 



Soul Crises 



were grievously disappointed in Him and became 
incensed against Him. This was a cruel turn in 
the tide of events. His labours in Galilee with a 
few noble exceptions had been in vain. Nazareth ! 
so full of tender memories. Nazareth! where He 
had spent so many peaceful years treated Him 
shamefully. Chorazin, Bethsaida and Caper- 
naum, on the shores of the silver lake, whose 
every field He had traversed, performing works 
of mercy, "and preaching the gospel of the King- 
dom," they turned away from Him. 

During the latter part of His ministry He had 
to encounter opposition from almost every con- 
ceivable quarter. Six months before He suffered 
He left Galilee and "steadfastly set His face to 
go to Jerusalem." When we consider all the 
agony of rejection behind and the fatal hour be- 
fore who will hesitate to say that that journey is 
unique in the annals of our race? "He steadfastly 
set His face to go to Jerusalem." On the w^ay He 
was often absorbed in the thought of the stern 
reality ahead. At times the tension was so great 
that He quickened his gait and went on ahead of 
His disciples. "They wxre amazed, and as they 
followed, they were afraid." At other times, He 
went more deliberately. We see Him blessing 
little children. We also see Him among His 
friends at Bethany, but Jerusalem was His goal. 

"He steadfastly set His face to go to Jeru- 
salem," and when the hour struck on God's clock 
He was there. We hear His significant prayer: 



Christian Courage 



245 



"Father, the hour is come." "The hour!" How 
stupendous were the issues of that critical hour! 
We get a faint idea of what that hour meant to 
Him as we see Him in Gethsemane, as we behold 
His agony and hear Him cry, "O My Father, if 
it be possible, let this cup pass from Me: never- 
theless not as I will, but as Thou wilt." We hear 
footsteps, and at the head of a multitude armed 
with swords and staves, we see Judas. We see 
Jesus come forth, the supreme crisis past, a con- 
queror, and with regal mien He goes to give His 
life a ransom for many. 

Men wax eloquent about deeds of daring, but 
where will you find a more sublime exhibition of 
Christian fortitude than is exhibited in the cour- 
age of the Christ? We glorify the heroes of war, 
and many courageous deeds have been performed 
in battle. But when we calmly consider all the 
facts we shall give the first place to the heroes of 
peace. Thousands of the heroes of peace have 
gone into the present struggle not because they 
love peace the less, but because they love honour 
more. It is Jesus who creates the latter type of 
hero and heroine. Scores of them move in and out 
among us. We do not recognize them, conse- 
quently we fail to appreciate their dignity and 
worth. But the crowning day is coming, then we 
shall marvel at our present inability to recognize 
those of whom the world is not worthy. Jesus 
Christ is the noblest example of moral courage the 
world has ever seen, and the most courageous 

/ 



246 



Soul Crises 



thing any man, woman, or child can do is to fol- 
low in His train. To renounce every idol, and to 
follow Jesus all the way, we need courage ! To be 
Christian in principle and Christlike in practice 
we need courage ! To live the Christian life as 
Christ lived it, we certainly need courage. 

What is courage? Whatever it may be, it is 
not starting on some one less than ourselves. 
Yet we only need to scan the pages of history 
to see how many have become heroic on this 
principle. One of the glaring evils of history is 
that of lauding men who have been positive ene- 
mies of the human race. But the time has come 
when these so-called heroes should receive the 
execration they so richly deserve. To start on 
one less than yourself is not the act of a hero but 
of a coward. We have a ghastly illustration of 
this principle in the German invasion of Belgium. 
Germany may plead ''military necessity," but a 
"military necessity" that deliberately tears up 
treaties and wantonly exposes a peace-abiding 
country to the barbarism to which Belgium has 
been subjected is a long way out of date. It is a 
crime and furthermore, it is doomed! By such 
an outrage Germany has stamped herself with a 
disgrace that time will never erase. The truly 
courageous man never plays the part of a bully, 
rather, he defends the weak, and when under 
provocation does not fly to nature's first aid of 
settling every dispute with his fists. 

Again, courage does not necessarily mean to be 



Christian Courage 



247 



void of fear. Take two soldiers who have been 
to the front, and question them about their ex- 
ploits. One laughs and says, "he didn't care," 
and as you consider his burly physical proportions 
and his iron will it really looks as though noth- 
ing could frighten him. He contends that he 
does not know what fear is. Such a man may 
have performed a thrilling deed, but his heroism 
is far from being of the highest order. Another 
soldier who startled the world by his achievement 
is very reticent; he does not want to talk about 
it. He admits it is like a nightmare to him, and 
to his bosom companion he confesses that he 
was afraid. He was so frightened that his nerves 
threatened to get the better of him, but he knew 
how much depended on his venture, and with a 
prayer to God for strength to do his duty, he went 
on ! The first soldier's courage is not be despised, 
but the second soldier's courage is moral courage, 
and for such courage we should all devoutly pray. 
The primary lesson God would have us learn is 
to be courageous. Christian courage is moral 
courage with a Christian aim and motive. It is 
not ours by nature. Christian courage is im- 
parted by Christ. When the Jewish authorities 
"saw the boldness of Peter and John they took 
knowledge of them, that they had been with 
Jesus." 

Christian courage is the courage of endurance. 
In the courageous example of our Lord, we dis- 
cern these features among others — faith, obedi- 



248 



Soul Crises 



ence, patience and perseverance. If we would be 
partakers of the courage of the Christ we must 
enter His school, as would-be heroes, we must 
learn of Him. As heroic Christians, let us "stead- 
fastly set" our faces to "adorn the doctrine of 
God our Saviour in all things." We need cour- 
age to enable us to triumph over difficulty, des- 
pondency and discouragement. These are real 
foes that we have to face every day. By difficulty 
I mean anything of an arduous or an embar- 
rassing nature. If we have purposed in our 
hearts to live lives of uncompromising integrity, 
we will discover that we are on a rough up-hill 
road, and we will find ourselves in a great many 
embarrassing situations. It requires moral 
courage to say "no" to what is wrong and "yes" 
to Christ. It is hard to be truly Christian in con- 
versation and conduct, but if we endure hardness 
as good soldiers of Jesus Christ, we will become 
more Christhke, and what distinction is compar- 
able to that ! It is of the very nature of difficulty 
to inspire courage, besides giving us the oppor- 
tunity of doing exploits. 

Again, we require courage to conquer despond- 
ency. In the common, every-day routine of life, 
our trials and sufferings may so exhaust us that 
we are tempted to lose hope. We become de- 
pressed and live in the anticipation of an over- 
whelming calamity. Sometimes, with the best 
of intentions, we find it hard to rise to the oc- 
casion; we get somewhat unnerved. But what- 



Christian Courage 249 

ever we do let us not be always looking for 
trouble. A great many of the evils we dread are 
more imaginary than real. When in Yorkshire, 
England, I heard a rather amusing story of a 
preacher whom I knew personally. It was in 
my first pastoral charge and I can hear him yet 
as he frequently and fervently prayed: ''God 
bless the lad!" "God bless the lad!" How 
omnipotent the preacher feels when such peti- 
tions are presented on his behalf! Well, this 
dear old saint who has since gone Home was ap- 
pointed to preach one Sunday evening at a coun- 
try charge. In the gathering gloom he journeyed 
through the fields to complete his engagement. 
When he got so far through a certain field, he 
was alarmed to see a wild bull moving in his 
direction. He turned, took his heels, and ran. 
It is an awful experience to be chased by a wild 
bull, and in our imagination we can see the 
preacher making his exit over the fence as grace- 
fully as the occasion would permit. But the 
preacher was not overtaken. It is really wonder- 
ful what speed preachers can get on, sometimes. 
Perspiring freely he hurried home and related 
his experience to some friends. Next morning 
a party set out to locate the bull and acquaint the 
owner of his nature. They found the field with- 
out any difficulty, but they could not find the bull. 
What they did see was a lonely calf which seemed 
very desirous of a little company. In the dark- 
ness things look frightfully big. It is more than 



250 



Soul Crises 



likely that the preacher had a wild bull in his 
imagination, and he saw one. Are not some of 
us living too far in the shade? That may ac- 
count for our seeing so many things working 
against us. 

Let us have courage to step out into the sunny 
paths of faith, and hope and love, and in at least 
nine cases out of ten we shall find that the wild 
bull is only a frolicsome calf. Set your face 
steadfastly to meet in a courageous spirit all the 
risks to which you may be exposed. 

Finally we need courage to drive away dis- 
couragement. When I wanted to know what dis- 
couragement meant, I looked in the dictionary 
and learned that it meant, "to repress or pre- 
vent." Oh ! what power discouragement exerts 
to hold us back! A young man says, "nobody 
takes pains to understand me." Perhaps there 
is very little to understand in him. He does not 
think of this and gets discouraged. Young man ! 
Whether people take pains to understand you or 
not, make an honest attempt to understand your- 
self and master yourself. And such an ac- 
complishment will set you higher in the moral 
realm than Alexander the Great who conquered 
the world, but was ignominiously defeated by 
himself. It is more than likely that you will re- 
quire all your moral courage to defend your 
honour, to guard your morals, to retain your 
purity, and to forge your way through to a 
worthy place in the van of progress. 



Christian Courage 251 

Shall we take another glance at our text? "He 
steadfastly set His face." Have you seen that 
face? You have heard others talk about it, but 
if you have not seen it for yourself gaze upon 
it now, and you will behold the brightness of the 
Father's glory and the express image of His per- 
son. Gaze upon that face and you will lose your 
sins, your vanity, your timidity. And as you 
continue to gaze, your face will become Christ- 
like, your character will become God-like. You 
will develop that calm, purposeful resolution you 
see written upon His features, and you will stead- 
fastly set your face to do His will. Shall we not, 
even now, resolve, by loyalty to Christ, to create 
a healthier moral atmosphere, to do what in our 
power lies to make it easier for our weak brother 
to do right than to do wrong? Our principles 
will be tested, and our courage will be challenged, 
but let our attitude be similar to the best blood of 
Scotland, as they stood around their King at 
Flodden : 

"One by one they fell around him, 
As the archers laid them low; 
Grimly dying, still unconquered. 
With their faces to the foe." 



CHAPTER XIX 



A GREAT SPECIALIST 

One thing ha've I desired of the Lord, that zuill I seek after; 
that I may divell in the house of the Lord all the days of my 
life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to enquire in His 
Temple.— Ps. XXVII, 4. 

THESE words express the hightest ambition 
of the sons of God. They are the expression 
of a man who has proved the worth of a life of 
faith. He is not an amateur, rather he is a 
worthy veteran. He has experienced the rude 
shocks of life. Recently he has been in the dark. 
It may be the darkness of sin or sorrow from 
which he is emerging, for he confesses, "The 
Lord is my light and my salvation." He has been 
opposed or persecuted for he throws down the 
challenge, "Whom shall I fear?" In the atti- 
tude of a warrior ready for the fray he cries, 
"The Lord is the stronghold of my life, of whom 
shall I be afraid?" His faith has been a refuge 
in time of trouble; a shield against the wicked, 
and a joy in peace and prosperity. He knows 
where to go when in trouble, he knows how to 
fight and prevail, and what is more he gives us 
the benefit of his experience. "For in the time 

252 



A Great Specialist 



253 



of trouble, He shall hide me in His pavilion: in 
the secret of His tabernacle shall He hide me: 
He shall set me upon a rock. And now shall mine 
head be lifted up above mine enemies round about 
me: therefore will I offer in His tabernacle sacri- 
fices of joy; I will sing, yea, I will sing praises 
unto the Lord." 

How refreshing to meet a man whose religion 
is not merely a creed, or an orthodoxy, but a life ! 
Not a sickly, half-starved life, but healthy, ani- 
mated, and joyous. 

But who was this man? The critics have dis- 
covered that David did not write all the Psalms. 
We need not be dismayed. We have the Psalms, 
and if David did not compose them all it goes 
to prove that instead of one, there was a whole 
host of sweet singers in Israel. David may have 
been an unusually good singer. He was above 
the average in ability and in piety, and possibly 
his whole-hearted devotion has been the prime 
factor in perpetuating his fame. Any man who 
serves God with all the enthusiasm of his being 
has the great probabilities in his favour of being 
a better workman whatever trade he ply. Thank 
God for the unnamed Psalmists in Israel! Thank 
God for the unrecorded heroes and heroines of 
Christ, men and women of whom the world is 
not worthy, who at this moment are edifying the 
world by the sweet melody of their lives I 

Perhaps in three or four thousand years from 
now, the higher critics of that future age will be 



254 



Soul Crises 



criticising the psalms of to-day. Probably they 
will start out with the impression that Tennyson 
and Wordsworth and Longfellow wrote them 
all. Then they will discover many which are 
anonymous, and some wiseacre will publish a 
learned treatise announcing that "Tennyson and 
Wordsworth and Longfellow never lived." To 
prevent this blunder, let us put it on record that 
we are proud of our Christian poets, and, al- 
though we are not all Tennysons and Longfel- 
lows, we all sing the same songs. I am not sure 
whether all the critics are agreed as to who com- 
posed this Psalm, but if I rightly read the spirit 
of it, it is of Davidic origin. The language of 
our text, in which the Psalmist gives utterance 
to his earnest request, is so suggestive of that 
tenacity of purpose and so full of that whole- 
hearted abandonment, which is such an essential 
factor in the soul of every seeker after God, that 
I attribute it to the man after God's own heart. 
"One thing have I desired of the Lord, that will 
I seek after, that I may dwell in the house of 
the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the 
beauty of the Lord, and to enquire in His 
Temple." 
Notice 

I THE SIMPLICITY OF HIS REQUEST 

"One thing have I asked of the Lord." The 
Psalmist saw the advantage of having an over- 



A Great Specialist 



255 



ruling purpose in life, and he made his request 
for "one thing." Such a simple request is easily 
understood, and is more likely to be granted than 
when we hesitate in making our choice. The dif- 
ficulty with most of us is that we have such a 
variety of aims and desires we are at a loss 
which to put in the first place. Many of our 
aims are transient, some trivial, and others fairly 
important. Our plea is that we are men of affairs 
and we cannot confine ourselves so as always to 
be thinking about religion. But the choice of 
this "one thing" is not limitation, it is true self- 
expression. The Psalmist had his affairs to at- 
tend to, but in all, through all, and above all, he 
had a master passion; he wanted "one thing." 
Doubtless this one thing included many lesser 
wishes, but his life, instead of being a series of 
contradictions, was a harmonious whole. Like 
tributaries finding an outlet in the river, and the 
river in the ocean, everything contributed to the 
supreme purpose of his being. We may have a 
diversity of aims, but it is our prerogative to 
see that all contribute to the all-controlling pur- 
pose of life. The Psalmist wanted one thing, 
and he knew what he wanted. In making our 
selection of the good things of life too many of 
us are hke children, before Christmas, writing to 
Santa Claus, stating, "I want, I want," until there 
is no end of wants. We want too many things, 
but when a man knows what he needs, and says 
deliberately, "I want one thing," we are prepared 



256 



Soul Crises 



to listen. If that one thing is worthy of his man- 
hood, God is prepared to listen, and what is more, 
God enters into partnership with that man, and 
the enduring nature of his achievements will even- 
tually convince his fellows that he is backed by 
the power of omnipotence. If we desire to 
enter into such a partnership, we must be pre- 
pared to live the simple life. What a contrast is 
presented between the Psalmist and us ! His life 
was simple, ours is complex. His wants were 
few, ours seem to be legion. 

Mark you ! Simplicity is not necessarily super- 
ficiality. A great many of us are superficial 
enough, when we consider how content we are 
to merely skim the surface of life, and to live 
almost entire strangers to those habits of life 
which helped our fathers to become seers, and 
our mothers to become saints. Our fathers were 
men of sturdy quahties. They were men of 
mental and moral caliber, and we are not sur- 
prised because they lived the simple life. They 
were frugal in their habits. They took time to 
meditate upon the meaning of life, and talked fre- 
quently and intelligently of the deep things of 
God. How entertaining and instructive it was 
to us, as we listened to the saints of a genera- 
tion ago, while they conversed of those "things 
the angels desire to look into." These are among 
the most precious memories of former days, days 
never to be forgotten when our parents read the 
sacred page, and kneeling, talked with heaven's 



A Great Specialist 257 

eternal King. Alas for us! so many of us are 
living such superficial lives that we are afraid to 
speak of the rehgion we profess. Am I wrong 
in surmising an alarming lack of private prayer 
and meditation, that simple but certain nourisher 
of sainthood? Life has become so complex and 
boisterous now-a-days that we seem to be total 
strangers to the deep experiences of life. We 
rush forward headlong, and it looks as though 
everything must be sacrificed to speed. The 
luxury of one generation becomes the necessity 
of the next, and where will it end? Civilization 
first gives freedom and then enslaves. In the 
rush of modern civilization we cannot have all, 
so let us be content with what we need. Certain 
things we do require, others we may be better 
without. Amid the roar of the traffic, let us 
pause and ask ourselves what is really worth 
while, and like the Psalmist we shall resolve our 
desires from the complex to the simple and make 
our request for "one thing." Secondly notice, 

II THE SINCERITY OF HIS REQUEST 

**One thing have I asked of the Lord, that will 
I seek after." This qualifying clause reveals the 
sincerity of the Psalmist. He has asked not 
merely for "one thing," but he has set his heart 
on it, and determines to do what he can to get 
it. His attitude is suggestive of determination, 
endurance, and achievement, God honours the 



258 



Soul Crises 



faith of the earnest man. As we sometimes say, 
"God helps those who help themselves." It is 
only when we have given proof of our sincerity 
that God will do for us, "above all we ask or 
think." The Psalmist has his daily routine to 
go through, but every task is made subservient 
to this, "I will attend rehgiously to every detail 
of my work, but amid all that is trivial and 
menial, this 'one thing' I live for." If a man 
really wants anything worth while, he will dare 
to risk the loss of other things to specialize upon 
that. The Psalmist determines to become a spe- 
cialist. It has been the same in every age. To- 
day we have specialists in every department of 
life, and any man who has risen to eminence has 
been a specialist along certain lines. What we 
need above all else to-day, in every department 
of life, is only too apparent; we need specialists 
in sainthood. The one thing worth living for is 
Christ-likeness, "to live so that Christ will ap- 
prove our life." Enoch was a specialist. We 
are not in a position to say precisely what his oc- 
cupation in life was, but we do know that, "he 
walked with God, and he was not for God took 
him." Samuel was a specialist. He specialized 
upon prayer. Was there ever a better judge in 
the land? How high his rugged personality 
towers above the ordinary when he cries, "God 
forbid that I should sin against the Lord in ceas- 
ing to pray for you." The disciples were spe- 
cialists. Peter as their spokesman said, "Lo! we 



A Great Specialist 



259 



have left all and followed Thee." St. Paul was 
a specialist, and how like the Psalmist in his atti- 
tude I "This one thing I do, forgetting those 
things which are behind, and reaching forth unto 
those things which are before, I press toward 
the mark for the prize of the high calling of God 
in Christ Jesus." The Puritans were specialists. 
They specialized, not upon accumulation, but 
upon the fear of God. To the Puritans, God was 
over all blessed forever, they feared Him and 
they feared none beside. 

If we as young men are to lead the forlorn 
hope we must specialize, not necessarily in 
swordsmanship, but in sainthood. **If the 
trumpet shall give an uncertain sound who shall 
prepare himself for battle?" We demand ster- 
ling integrity in our leaders. We have a noble 
army of leaders to-day, but the ranks are thinning. 
There are many gaps to be filled. Up, young 
men! and claim your inheritance. We have 
Puritan blood in our veins, and we cannot suffer 
the ideals our fathers lived, and suffered, and 
died to realize to be ruthlessly destroyed. We 
are doubtless proud of our branch of the Chris- 
tian Church, and if Presbyterianism has stood 
for anything at all, it has been the exponent of 
unswerving righteousness. Young men I special- 
izing in sainthood is not the sickly, sentimental 
business some of you imagine it is. It is some- 
thing that demands application. You cannot 
treat it lightly for it is your very life. If you 



Soul Crises 



want to become a Christian hero, bend your 
energies, and say with the sweet singer of Israel, 
"that will I seek after." Seek that pearl of great 
price though it mean weariness and pain, though 
it mean bloodshed and tears, seek and you shall 
find. Finally and briefly notice : 

III THE SUBSTANCE OF THE PSALMIST's REQUEST 

''One thing have I asked of the Lord, that will 
I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the 
Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty 
of the Lord, and to inquire in His Temple." 
This is what the Psalmist wants. It is a worthy 
request and he dares to announce it. This proves 
that he was a man after God's own heart. How 
few dare to lay bare the uppermost and inmost 
longings of their hearts! The inmost desires of 
some of us might be no credit either to us, or to 
our Christian training. Are we longing for that 
which is unlawful or unseemly? Beware! You 
cannot take fire into your bosom and not be 
burned. Let your inmost longing be worthy of 
your self-respect, worthy of your parents, worthy 
of your country, and worthy of your God. The 
substance of the Psalmist's request is that he 
wants to dwell, to behold, and to inquire. This 
threefold request being granted would give any 
man the summum honum, the supreme good of 
life. Man craves a home, and here is one man 
who wants to live with God. "That I may dwell 



A Great Specialist 



261 



in the house of the Lord all the days of my life." 

What does he mean? We must not take him 
too literally. Isaiah may help us. He says, "and 
it shall come to pass in the last days, that the 
mountain of the Lord's house shall be established 
in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted 
above the hills; and all nations shall flow 
unto it." What is the meaning of this figurative 
language? Simply a statement of the sublime 
fact that wherever there is a child of God, there 
he may erect an altar, and even though the 
ground be hard and covered with stones he may 
like Jacob realize, that "this is none other than 
the house of God and this the gate of heaven." 
The house of God is where the worshipper bows 
in spirit and communes with God. The whole 
world is the house of God to the devout soul. 
Men who have sought to localize and monopolize 
God have entertained wrong views of Him. Our 
Lord's reply to the Samaritan woman was pro- 
foundly significant, "The hour cometh, and now 
is, when the true worshippers shall worship the 
Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father 
seeketh such to worship Him." The Psalmist 
had a longing for God amounting to an ardent 
passion. He wanted to be Hke God, and he right- 
ly thought that the surest way to become like God 
was to live with Him, in the same house. 

Further, He wanted to see "the beauty of the 
Lord." How grateful we should be for the 
faculty of vision! A great man has made the 



262 



Soul Crises 



interesting statement that eighty per cent, of our 
knowledge comes to us through the medium of 
our eyes. One thing is very evident, we see what 
we are looking for. The Psalmist wanted to 
penetrate to the heart of things, he wanted to 
concentrate his gaze upon the glory of the She- 
kinah. What a conception he had of God! — "to 
gaze upon the pleasantness of Jehovah." But 
magnificent as his conception was, we are even 
more highly favoured. "The Word was made 
flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld His 
glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the 
Father, full of grace and truth. 

What think ye of Christ? Men have com- 
plained that there was no beauty in Him that we 
should desire Him. His visage was marred. Yet 
some have looked until they declared Him to be 
"the fairest among ten thousand, and the alto- 
gether lovely." In Him we see truth in its beauty, 
love in its purity, and holiness in its winsome- 
ness. Have you, like John, "beheld His glory?" 

Finally, the Psalmist says he wants "to in- 
quire." Man is a big interrogation mark. God 
has set eternity in our hearts and we are born 
inquirers. We all ask questions, but the pity is 
that so many of us are inquiring about the 
transient or the base. "Wherewithal shall I be 
clothed?" or fed? Shall I pull down my barns 
and build greater? Child of time, build for 
eternity. "He that dwelleth in the secret place 
of the Most High shall abide under the shadow 



A Great Specialist 



263 



of the Almighty." "Inquire in His Temple!" 
In the olden days people went to inquire of the 
Lord about everything. It was an inquiry of a 
domestic nature that led Saul to his kingdom. 
Hannah inquired of the Lord. Samuel was born, 
and who will say that she inquired in vain? This 
is true worship, that we consult God in every- 
thing. Such worship edifies. By frequent com- 
munion we receive fresh stimulus and encourage- 
ment. Such worship enlightens. Do we need 
pardon? "Ask and ye shall receive." Do we 
need guidance? "He that followeth Me shall 
not walk in darkness, but shall have the light 
of life." Such worship equips for the daily task. 
So let us determine to glorify God and enjoy 
Him forever. Amen. 



CHAPTER XX 



A NATIONAL TRINITY 

And Elisha prayed, and said, Lord, I pray Thee open his eyes, 
that he may see. — II Kings VI, 17. 

IN our text we have a trinity who unite in 
providing one of the most fascinating chap- 
ters in Jewish history. Fortunate indeed is the 
nation boasting such a trinity and where each of 
its three persons are had in becoming reverence 
and esteem. The nation void of this trinity or 
lacking any one of these three may well start at 
the sight of the handwriting upon the walls of its 
most enduring institutions, for its days are num- 
bered and its overthrow in sight. 

The first person in this trinity is The Lord. 
"And Elisha prayed, and said. Lord, I pray 
Thee." The most casual observer could not fail 
to recognize that there was a God in Israel. This 
was the most conspicuous fact in the history of 
that remarkable people. This thought gripped 
every Jew and gave him such poise and power 
as made him both the envy and the admiration 
of mankind. Other nations boasted a pantheon, 
a whole procession of gods, but the Jew was not 

264 



A National Trinity 



265 



envious. Had he not proved what the modem 
world with all its scientific research and its evolu- 
tionary theories has never disproved that "all 
the gods of the nations are idols: but the Lord 
made the heavens." This fundamental tenet of 
the Jewish faith was imparted to each succeed- 
ing generation. Every Jewish child was told and 
retold of God, His Being, Power, and Choice, 
until the idea gripped him and thrilled him; he 
was one of an elect nation, "chosen of God and 
precious." God was their King, their Provider, 
and Defender. When they marched against 
their enemies it was in the firm assurance that 
God led them on. If it was a righteous battle 
their enemies were routed. If it was an un- 
righteous battle they were defeated and chas- 
tened. Thus nothing could stand before the 
dauntless courage of those who charged amid the 
strains of the warrior psalm: 

"God is our refuge and our strength, 
In straits a present aid; 
Therefore although the earth remove, 
We will not be afraid." 

There was a God in Israel. Is there a God 
in Britain? The history of the British Empire 
has been quite as remarkable as that of Israel. 
When our history as a people is complete, it will 
read like a romance. To the serious students of 
history our own is coming to be recognized as a 



266 



Soul Crises 



romance of faith. Every historic event in the 
United Kingdom has left a record so plain that 
he who runs may read that there is a God in 
Britain. Early in the Christian era, the gospel 
was preached in the mother country. The seed 
was sown in good ground and is bringing forth 
a harvest that will continue to be reaped until the 
angel shall set one foot on sea and the other on 
land, and proclaim that time shall be no more. 
Rising from a mere handful of God-fearing citi- 
zens, the British Nation has grown to be an em- 
pire upon which the sun never sets. Innumer- 
able factors have contributed to this result, 
factors which we gratefully acknowledge, but the 
supreme factor that has made this briUiant 
achievement possible is God. Our late beloved 
Queen Victoria expressed our imperial senti- 
ments most aptly when, lifting a copy of the 
Scriptures, she said "this is the secret of Eng- 
land's greatness." In the steadfast adherence of 
the British Empire to the cause of righteousness, 
and in her role as a herald of the Evangel, we 
have conclusive evidence that there has been a 
God in Britain, but can that assertion be made 
without fear of contradiction in the living 
present? 

Is there a God in Canada to-day? Israel 
fulfilled her mission, and Britain is in the zenith 
of her glory, while in Canada we are laying the 
foundations of an empire within an empire. 
When we consider the area, the natural and min- 



A National Trinity 



267 



eral resources of the Dominion, together with the 
rapidity with which thousands are seeking homes 
in our beloved land, we rightly anticipate a tre- 
mendous future. It is the overwhelming convic- 
tion of all who have the highest interests of the 
Dominion at heart that if ever a country needed 
the presence and superintendence of a God, we 
need a God in Canada to-day. Yes ! There is 
a God in Canada. This is God's country, and 
thousands of the best blood of our land have 
sworn, ''As for me and my house we will serve 
the Lord." There is a God in Canada, and He 
is going to win the day. There are those who 
would like to contradict this assertion, and many 
evils thrive in defiance. Because of these we 
mourn, but we do not despair. Their days are 
numbered! Even now, the ranks are filling, and 
the prayer ascending, "Let God arise, and let His 
enemies be scattered." I warn you who are in- 
clined to sneer "there is no God in Canada," to 
change your attitude from that of cynicism and 
indifference to one of joyful recognition and ap- 
preciation. God will vindicate His honour and 
lay bare His mighty arm. Slowly but surely He 
is eliminating the bad and establishing the good. 
But you ask, "How do these statements harmon- 
ise with the present war?" We deplore the 
necessity of war, but where honour and righteous- 
ness are involved we do not hesitate. Great 
Britain is at war because of a choice between two 
evils, the evil of going to war, and the greater 



268 



Soul Crises 



evil of peace with dishonour. The Psalmist said, 
"I have seen the wicked in great power, and 
spreading himself like a green bay tree. Yet he 
passed away, and, lo, he was not: yea, I sought 
him, but he could not be found." Listen to the 
words of Jeremiah. His words were never more 
significant than they are to-day. "Thus saith 
the Lord, Let not the wise man glory in his wis- 
dom, neither let the mighty man glory in his 
might, let not the rich man glory in his riches: 
but let him that glorieth glory in this, that he 
understandeth and knoweth Me, that I am the 
Lord which exercise lovingkindness, judgment, 
and righteousness, in the earth: for in these 
things I delight, saith the Lord." 

The second person in this trinity is The Proph- 
et. "And Elisha prayed and said, O Lord I 
pray Thee." Next to the Lord, the most conspicu- 
ous part in Israel was played by the prophet. 
It was necessary for God to communicate His 
wishes to the sons of men, and the prophet was 
the spokesman of God. The prophets of Israel 
were both human and divine. They kept their 
eyes upon the great white throne, and this in- 
tensified their interest in the national weal. To 
prophets like Isaiah and Jeremiah who had to 
prophesy of their country's downfall their task 
was a heartbreak, and how eagerly they turn 
from national disaster to the glory of the latter 
days ! All the prophets of Israel were great 
personalities, and although ranging from the 



A National Trinity 



269 



lofty grandeur of Moses to the uncompromising 
fidelity of Samuel, from the rugged spendour of 
Elijah to the meek simplicity of Elisha, they were 
equally attractive. For such a prophetic suc- 
cession we most humbly and devoutly pray. 

The prophet is one who hears, who sees, and 
who speaks. He has learned the fine art of listen- 
ing. God speaks, frequently and eloquently, but 
the majority do not heed. They are so pre- 
occupied that they do not hear. As in the days 
of our Lord, when God speaks, there are those 
who testify that it thundered, while others come 
much nearer the truth by declaring that "an 
angel spake." The prophet is not disturbed by 
the earthquake and the fire for behind them he 
can distinguish the "still small voice." What we 
need to cultivate more and more in these days of 
rush and bustle is the art of listening. How 
easy it is to interpret the message of God when 
we have learned how to hear. 

The prophet is one who sees ! He penetrates 
the unseen. Before all, and in all, and over all, 
he sees God, and he sees the national policy to- 
gether with individual motives in the light of the 
great white throne. 

The prophet speaks! He does not speak at 
random but under divine guidance. How often 
in history when every other voice has been 
silenced the prophet has spoken in clear, ringing 
tones, and not only saved the situation, but trans- 
formed national misgiving into a great mission- 



270 



Soul Crises 



ary opportunity. When Naaman, the Syrian, 
presented himself before the king of Israel and 
requested to be cleansed of his leprosy, the king 
"rent his clothes, and said. Am I God, to kill and 
make alive, that this man doth send unto me to 
recover a man of his leprosy? Wherefore con- 
sider, I pray you, and see how he seeketh a 
quarrel against me." And when Elisha the man 
of God heard that the king of Israel had rent 
his clothes, he sent to the king, saying, "Where- 
fore hast thou rent thy clothes? Let him come 
now to me, and he shall know that there is a 
prophet in Israel." 

The message of the prophet in the old dis- 
pensation was national in its bearing, while the 
message of the modern prophet has no regard 
for international boundaries, but is of uni- 
versal significance. The modern prophet is a 
Christian imperialist and in the name of the 
Father of the spirits of all flesh, he speaks to 
every nation under heaven. While we esteem 
our army and navy highly in love for their works' 
sake, let us recognize the preeminence of the 
prophet as a guardian of our shores. 

The third person in this trinity is The Young 
Man. "And Elisha prayed, and said, Lord, I 
pray thee, open his eyes, that he may see. And 
the Lord opened the eyes of the young man; and 
he saw." The young man is an indispensable ele- 
ment in this trinity. Her young men are a na- 
tion's most valuable assets. As a nation the Jews 



A National Trinity 



271 



had a high regard for their young men. David 
and Jonathan, Daniel and Nehemiah, are illus- 
trious examples of that religious patriotism which 
had been instilled into their youthful minds, which 
was their motive-power, and which gave them 
a permanent place in the hall of fame. Great 
Britain is under an enormous obligation to her 
young men. Lord Clive was a reckless boy when 
he sailed for India. There one bitter experience 
succeeded another until disappointed and de- 
jected he spent his remaining money in purchas- 
ing a revolver with which to take his life. Twice 
he held the weapon to his temple and pulled the 
trigger and twice it failed to discharge. It 
clicked, but would not go off. Throwing the 
weapon down upon the table and himself into a 
chair, he did some hard thinking. Presently a 
friend entered the room. Clive said, ''Take that, 
and fire through the window He did so ! 
There was a loud report, and Clive, springing 
to his feet cried, "I think I am reserved for some- 
thing great!" And so it proved. He conquered 
India, and placed in the British Crown one of 
its most precious gems. 

A number of years ago the members of the 
War Office in London were debating the 
prospects of a certain venture. They sent for 
their oldest general and asked him his opinion. 
He said it was simply impossible. Then they 
sent for the next in order and so on until they 
reached the youngest general they had. And they 



272 



Soul Crises 



said, "Wolfe, can you win Canada for Great 
Britain?" 

Wolfe replied, 'Til do it or die." He did it, 
and he died, but he did it nevertheless. Won by 
a young man, Canada is a young man's country. 
Throughout the Dominion young men are attain- 
ing to the most responsible positions, and grac- 
ing them both by efficiency and success. This is 
preeminently the young man's day, and every 
young man should prepare assiduously for the 
position in life he may be called upon without 
previous warning to fill. 

The whole civilized world is gazing intently 
upon the present crisis in Europe. Every man 
of genuine worth feels that this is a young man's 
fight. Young men have been entrusted with the 
most responsible positions in the government, in 
the army, in the navy, and they are acquitting 
themselves in a manner that leaves nothing to 
be desired. And what of the men in the 
trenches? We see the brave young men of Eng- 
land, Ireland, and Scotland, we see the swarthy 
sons of India, the sturdy sons of Africa, the gal- 
lant sons of Australasia, and our noble Canadian 
young men who have added another illustrious 
chapter to our youthful history. The call is for 
young men of mental and moral caliber in every 
department of life to rise in their might and usher 
in the order that is to be. Young man, "who 
knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom 
for such a time as this?" 



A National Trinity 



273 



*'And Elisha prayed, and said, Lord, I pray 
Thee open his eyes that he may see." The glory 
of this trinity is seen to better advantage when 
we consider the time it was united for action. 
It was a time of national peril. The feud be- 
tween Israel and Syria was one of long standing. 
There had been frequent skirmishes made by the 
Syrians which were extremely annoying. But 
during the reign of the present monarch, Ben- 
hadad II, these had developed into an organized 
campaign. It was Benhadad's ambition to effect 
the complete subjection of Samaria. He confided 
his plan of campaign to his officers who main- 
tained the utmost secrecy and repeatedly they 
tried to surprise and capture the king of Israel, 
but without success. Their plans were frustrated 
in a way that was hard to account for. The key 
to the situation was held by the prophet. "And 
the man of God sent to the king of Israel, say- 
ing, 'Beware that thou pass not such a place : for 
thither the Syrians are come down.' And the 
king of Israel sent to the place which the man of 
God told him and warned him of, and saved him- 
self there, not once nor twice." His designs were 
thwarted so completely that Benhadad suspected 
treachery, and in an agony of bewilderment, he 
cried, " 'Will ye not show me which of us is for 
the king of Israel?' And one of his servants 
said, 'None, my lord, O King: but Elisha, the 
prophet that is in Israel, telleth the king of 
Israel the words that thou speakest in thy bed- 



274 



Soul Crises 



chamber." The mystery explained the rest was 
quite easy. Capture and despatch the prophet 
and then the conquest of Israel would only be a 
question of time. So without delay, Benhadad 
sent horses and chariots and a great host to 
Dothan, and they came by night and compassed 
the city about. And when the servant of the man 
of God was risen early, and gone forth, behold, 
an host compassed the city both with horses and 
chariots. And his servant said unto him, "Alas, 
my master! how shall we do?" The young man 
was at his wit's end. They had been caught like 
rats in a trap. And with a cry of dismay, he 
rushed into the presence of the prophet. They 
were in a terrible plight. From a human stand- 
point their capture had been effected. Escape 
was impossible. The young man saw that re- 
liance upon human resources was out of the ques- 
tion, and a very instructive feature of this story 
is that the young man runs instinctively to the 
prophet. 

This is precisely what we want our young men 
to do. We want to cultivate your acquaintance. 
You need us and we need you. There are those 
who endeavour to divorce you from the Chris- 
tian church, by speaking disparagingly of the 
church and its ministry, but exercise a care, lest 
for bread you receive a stone. It is easy to criti- 
cise, it is easy to pull down, but not so easy to 
build up. The Christian ministry, the modern 
school of the prophets, does not claim to be a 



A National Trinity 



275 



perfect institution, and no one is readier to 
acknowledge this than those who have entered 
this holy calHng. But as a class, and especially 
where they have exercised the function of the 
prophet, they have invariably championed the 
cause of righteousness, and challenged the Go- 
liaths of oppression to combat in the open field. 
Depend upon it, the prophet is a man, he is a 
man of God, and as such he is your friend. He 
has eyes to see, a heart to feel, and is always 
willing to lend a helping hand. Those men who 
have lost faith in God and in all existing institu- 
tions, and who are red hot for revolution, may 
impress you with their vehemence, but they are 
false prophets. What can they offer as a substi- 
tute? They have no God! no Christ! They 
have no spiritual perspective. They are of the 
earth earthy, and no matter how plausible their 
arguments, they are officers of Benhadad. Given 
a free hand they would eliminate worship and 
strike in their frenzy at the pillars of the great 
white throne. If they have a panacea let them 
go out into the highways and byways, where the 
church goes, and from thence rally their 
standards and not deplete the armies of the liv- 
ing God. 

In the hour of peril there was only one place 
to go, and with dismay written upon his features, 
the young man burst into the chamber of the 
prophet and cried, ''Alas, my master! how shall 
we do?" The prophet's reassuring "Fear not" 



276 



Sold Crises 



perplexed him until he prayed that remarkable 
prayer, "Lord, I pray Thee, open his eyes, that 
he may see. And the Lord opened the eyes of 
the young man; and he saw." A new world burst 
upon his vision! "The mountain was full of 
horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha." 

The tables were turned. Their enemies were 
hopelessly outnumbered. Young men! Do you 
know anything of that world and its forces which 
enabled the prophet to be calm in the hour of 
panic? Do you know anything of that magnifi- 
cent world to which St. Paul refers, when he 
prays, "that Christ may dwell in your hearts by 
faith, that ye being rooted and grounded in love, 
may be able — may be able — to comprehend with 
all saints, what is the breadth, and length, and 
depth, and height; and to know the love of Christ, 
which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled 
with all the fulness of God?" The Lord! The 
Prophet! and The Young Man! What achieve- 
ments have been wrought by these three, and 
what signal triumphs yet await them ! 

There is something more commendable than 
what was accomplished by Clive. It is to lead 
those millions of people in India, who are ready 
for the gospel message, to adorn the doctrine of 
God our Saviour. There is something with issues 
infinitely more tremendous than what was ac- 
complished by Wolfe, it is to win Canada for 
Christ. There is something even greater than 



A National Trinity 



277 



the overthrow of military despotism, it is the 
recognition of, and unswerving loyalty to Christ 
the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Will you 
subscribe to this trinity now? Amen. 



CHAPTER XXI 



A CHALLENGE TO CIVILIZATION 
Gird ye on every man his sivord. — I Sam. XXV, 13. 

T^AVID was a fugitive but not of justice, he 
was in exile through no crime of his own. 
He was discovered in a national crisis. Under 
God he had become the champion of his native 
land. Because of his signal achievements and 
modest demeanour, he became the object of royal 
jealousy. Jealousy engendered hatred, and hate 
deliberately contemplated murder. Saul de- 
termined to kill David who wisely sought refuge 
in flight. He kept moving from place to place, 
for Saul with a zeal worthy of a better cause was 
hot in pursuit. The fugitive was not overtaken, 
but by his indiscretion, the king endangered his 
own hfe. On more than one occasion David had 
Saul at his mercy, but he refused to strike, he 
refrained from lifting his hand against the Lord's 
anointed. 

David by his conduct in his banishment proved 
himself a gentleman. That he was a gentleman 
of a very high order is attested by the fact that 
while the men who rallied to his standard, — 

278 



A Challenge to Civilization 279 



"every one that was in distress, and every one 
that was in debt, and every one that was discon- 
tented," — while these men were naturally of a 
lawless type, he restrained them from all such 
depredations as make such bands a menace to 
any law-abiding community. Even though in 
jeopardy and hunted as an arch-traitor, he never 
hesitated to wield his sword in his country's cause. 
Wherever he sought refuge, the people, instead 
of complaining because of any misdemeanour, 
were loud in their praise of David and his men. 
Amid the rocks and caves of Carmel, they en- 
joyed a brief respite and endeared themselves to 
the shepherds of Nabal, a wealthy farmer living 
in Maon. In this mountainous region, the 
shepherds were exposed to the raids of bandits 
who lived by plunder. While David and his men 
were there, the shepherds enjoyed security. The 
appreciation of the shepherds was ably expressed. 
"The men were very good unto us, and we were 
not hurt, neither missed we anything, as long as 
we were conversant with them, when we were in 
the fields : They were a wall unto us both by 
night and day, all the while we were with them 
keeping the sheep." 

When Nabal was shearing his sheep David, 
who had to battle with hardship and poverty, sent 
greetings, and requested a favour in considera- 
tion for his services. It was a very modest re- 
quest, simply a request for something to eat. 
"And Nabal answered David's servants, and 



28o 



Soul Crises 



•aid, 'Who is this David? and who is the son of 
Jesse? there be many servants now-a-days that 
break away every man from his master. Shall I 
take my bread, and my water, and my flesh that 
I have killed for my shearers, and give it unto 
men, whom I know not whence they be?' " 

David's young men returned and related 
Nabal's insolent reply. "And David said unto 
his men. Gird ye on every man his sword." Such 
base insolence merited immediate action, and men 
of the calibre of David were not to be trifled with. 
Not content with declining to meet David's 
wishes, Nabal added insult to injury. His reply 
was a challenge which did not have long to wait 
for acceptance. "And David said unto his men. 
Gird ye on every man his sword." There are 
situations in which we are placed by the tragedy 
of circumstances, by an unexpected turn of events, 
which call forth the injunction "Gird ye on every 
man his sword." 

On the second day of August, 19 14, the whole 
civilized world stood aghast when Germany de- 
liberately tore up her treaty which guaranteed 
the neutrality of Belgium and prepared to pass 
through that little unoffending country in a swift 
move on to Paris. Her strategists decided that 
this was the shortest and quickest route. Taking 
this path they would soon strike an effective blow. 
It is now over two and a half years since they set 
out for Paris and despite their haste, the Ger- 
mans are not there yet. The shortest route 



A Challenge to Civilization 281 



sometimes proves to be the longest road. What 
was the attitude of King Albert when he heard 
of this proposed outrage? He sent an appeal 
to England calculated to move hearts of stone, 
and without waiting for a reply he tuirhed reso- 
lutely to his soldiers and said, "Gird ye on every 
man his sword." The part played by the daunt- 
less sons of Belgium during the first few weeks 
of the war will stand as one of the most illustri- 
ous deeds in the annals of men. When Great 
Britain who was bound by the same solemn in- 
ternational treaty as Germany heard of this viola- 
tion, and remembered her own moral obligations, 
what did she do? Did she, like Germany, tear 
up the treaty and refer to it as a scrap of paper? 
No ! We are a peace-loving people, we had 
much to lose and little to gain by going to war, 
and besides we were unprepared for war. But 
our illustrious monarch never hesitated. Turn- 
ing to his men he said, "Gird ye on every man 
his sword." Convinced of the righteousness of 
the cause for which they were to fight, the re- 
sponse to the Country's call is without a parallel 
in history. The contemptible 300,000 rapidly 
rose to an army of 5,000,000 men. 

As a nation we never have regretted the steps 
we have taken. In the memorable words of Mr. 
Asquith, "We are fighting to fulfil a solemn inter- 
national obligation and to vindicate the principle 
that small nationalities are not to be crushed, in 
defiance to international good faith, by the arbi- 



282 



Soul Crises 



trary will of a strong and overmastering power. 
I do not believe any nation ever entered into a 
great controversy — and this is one of the great- 
est history will ever know — with a clearer con- 
science and stronger conviction that it is fighting, 
not for aggression, not for the maintenance of 
its own selfish interest, but that it is fighting in de- 
fence of principles, the maintenance of which is 
vital to the civilization of the world." The many 
changes which have taken place, the vital ques- 
tions which have had to be answered have been 
startling in their significance. 

After two years of the strain imposed by this 
unique situation, Mr. Asquith resigned as Pre- 
mier, and Mr. Lloyd George took hold of the 
reins of Government. We admire both Mr. 
Asquith and his work, but in Mr. Lloyd George 
we recognize "one of the biggest men God ever 
made." He is a God-fearing man and he fears 
none beside. He has deep convictions regarding 
right and wrong, and what is more, he has the 
courage of his convictions. He enjoys the confi- 
dence of soldier and civiHan alike. When we 
consider his political career, when we remember 
his strenuous efforts on behalf of righteousness 
and peace, we may reasonably conclude it was no 
mere chance that placed him at the helm of the 
ship of state in such a treacherous sea. Mr. 
Lloyd George has resolutely opposed war. We 
respect his stand during the war in South Africa, 
but it did not take this master statesman long to 



A Challenge to Civilization 



283 



see that the present struggle was no common fight. 
After seeing every available means for avert- 
ing bloodshed rudely rejected, he set to work. 
What we owe to the indefatigable efforts of this 
one man would be difficult to estimate. 

One of the first duties he had to perform as 
prime minister was to consider a peace offer made 
in Germany. According to that peace offer, Ger- 
many was to be acknowledged a victor and 
further she refused to state her terms of peace. 
It has since resolved itself more into a trap than 
a genuine offer of peace. What was Mr. 
George's reply? This modern David, in con- 
junction with our brave allies, said, "Gird ye on 
every man his sword." More recently events 
have moved apace. 

We have just lived through one of the most 
eventful weeks (January 28 to February 3, 19 17) 
this continent has ever known. At the beginning 
of the week we were considering President Wil- 
son's program for world peace. It was a coura- 
geous utterance, a fascinating dream. Many of 
us expressed our views regarding it. Some said, 
it was not in the realm of practicability, while 
others hoped to see it adopted. When, lo ! at 
the end of the week the American Republic is on 
the verge of war. The Germans practically have 
delivered an ultimatum to all neutrals and the 
outlook is very grave. The sudden crisis with 
which the United States is confronted opens up 
the whole question of the war and Germany's 



284 



Soul Crises 



recent move virtually becomes a challenge to 
civilization. President Wilson should have our 
sympathy and prayers in this crisis. It would be 
a serious thing to plunge a nation of a hundred 
million people into war, especially a nation com- 
posed of so many nationalities, but there is some- 
thing even more serious, and that is for a nation 
to lose its soul. 

"Once to every man and nation comes the mo- 
ment to decide. 

In the strife of Truth with Falsehood, for the 
good or evil side; 

Some great cause, God's new Messiah, offering 
each the bloom or blight. 

Parts the goats upon the left hand, and tha 
sheep upon the right, 

And the choice goes on forever twixt that dark- 
ness and that light." ^ 

It is highly desirable that a great nation like 
the United States of America should command 
and retain the respect of the civilized world. If 
President Wilson meets this challenge by turning 
to his people and saying, "Gird ye on every man 
his sword," no one will be able to charge him 
with rashness. He has been so patient and per- 
sistent in his pacific course that we considered war 
a stranger to these coasts, when, lol the unex- 
pected happens, and war is at our very doors. If 

^ James Russell Lowell. 



A Challenge to Civilization 285 



this world war is not a fight between Christ and 
ApoUyon, I don't know what is. It is a mo- 
mentous struggle, it is filling the whole horizon, 
but considering it in the light of the great moral 
law, it is only one phase of a war that is as old 
as time. As one startling situation is succeeded 
by another, we cannot adopt the attitude of inter- 
ested spectators. If we would win the unfading 
crown of manhood and womanhood, we must get 
into the struggle and determine that everything 
relative to despotism will be challenged and given 
no quarter whether it reveals itself in church or 
state. We are all in this fight, and the sooner 
we realize the tremendous issues depending upon 
our waging a good warfare, the better. Some 
people maintain, we never should fight. As we 
review the horrors of war, we pray earnestly for 
peace. I hate war and all that leads to it, but 
with all reverence I reply that we must always 
fight. Everything depends on what we are fight- 
ing for, what we are fighting with, and the spirit 
in which we are doing our fighting. 

The question no doubt will be asked, ''Will the 
United States be justified in going to war?" Was 
David justified when he said to his men, "Gird 
ye on every man his sword?" To answer this 
question intelligently we must consider 

THE CHARACTER OF NABAL 

He was a great man. "And the man was 
very great." Greatness is a relative term. 



286 



Soul Crises 



There is a greatness which is synonymous with 
goodness, and there is a greatness which is 
synonymous with social prestige. Nabal was 
great but not in the sight of the Lord. 
Germany was beginning to impress the world by 
the greatness of her scientific achievements, and 
she has made certain contributions to our modern 
knowledge which entitle her to the designation 
"great." Nabal was great in his possessions. 
He had 3,000 sheep and 1,000 goats. His 
possessions gave him his place in society as a 
man of wealth. Before the war, Germany had 
great possessions and an increasing asset in her 
universal trade. Commercially she was very 
great. If Nabal was great in his wealth, he was 
even greater in his opportunity. The responsibil- 
ity of a rich man is grave. His social position 
gives him a great opportunity for righteousness; 
and what an opportunity Germany had for good 
by virtue of her position, few can estimate. 

If Nabal was "very great" in his opportunity 
he was still greater in his traditions. He was a 
descendant oif Caleb. The traditions of both na- 
tions and men are a heritage and by no means 
to be despised, especially if they are honourable. 
As we look at Caleb, that sturdy warrior, so 
inflexible in his adhesion to the utter right at the 
end of the Canaan campaign choosing the hill 
country for his inheritance that he might con- 
tinue to prove his steel and retain the joy of con- 
quest — as we gaze upon such an ideal veteran. 



A Challenge to Civilization 



287 



we anticipate great things for his descendants. 
That hill country was sacred ground. Every foot 
of it had been won by the sword of the Lord and 
of Caleb. Nabal was "very great" in his tradi- 
tions. 

What shall we say of the traditions of Ger- 
many? What country can boast of more promis- 
ing traditions? We turn with sparkHng eyes to 
the land of Luther. And considering his match- 
less power in his day and generation, we would 
expect Germany to be a land of prophets. But 
of Germany as of another nation it can be stated 
mournfully that she knew not the time of her 
visitation. 

Finally Nabal was greatest in his folly. Nabal 
was his name and folly was his nature. How- 
ever Germany regards her undue haste in plung- 
ing the world into war I know not, but this I do 
know, history will regard it as an act of mad- 
ness without a parallel. Nabal's folly is seen in 
his reply to David's young men. As we examine 
his reply we discern that Nabal was great in his 
haughtiness. "Who is this David?" It was not 
altogether what he said but how he said it. 
Haughtiness is a sin from which we must all pray 
to be delivered. Great men and great nations 
sometimes take too much for granted and conse- 
quently over-reach themselves. They seem to 
think they can bully persecuted Davids at 
pleasure, but history bids them beware. 

Nabal's reply betrayed his ignorance. "Who 



288 



Soul Crises 



is this David? He did not appear to know that 
had it not been for David, in the most critical 
hour of their national life, the armies of Israel 
would have been routed and the Philistines would 
have been the owners of his sheep. "Who is 
this David?" How base his ingratitude! His 
flocks had been so well protected in the hill coun- 
try that he was greatly indebted to David and 
his men, and the least he could reasonably expect 
to do was to make a few inquiries regarding the 
circumstances of those well-disposed individuals 
who had been to his shepherds "a wall by night 
and day." 

Finally, Nabal's reply proved that he was 
great in his scorn, "Who is this David?" You 
do not know? Then you soon will, for he is even 
now preparing a most impressive introduction. 
"And David said unto his men, 'Gird ye on every 
man his sword.' " Whether a nation is justified 
in going to war with another nation depends on 
one or two things. Who are they negotiating 
with, and what are they likely to fight for? If 
you are dealing with men who have no regard 
for veracity, no sense of honour, and who de- 
liberately plan to inspire horror by striving per- 
sistently to destroy every principle of righteous- 
ness, the sooner you gird on your swords the 
better. 

But if the latest German threat is a challenge 
to civilization, more than the United States are 
affected. Every civilized nation as well as every 



A Challenge to Civilization 



289 



civilized individual is affected. What is going 
to be our attitude? We are watching other neu- 
tral nations with interest, but while awaiting their 
decision, let us not forget to record our own. The 
attitude of our brave soldiers leaves nothing to 
be desired. They have gone and many of them 
have made the supreme sacrifice, but what of 
ours? This challenge is a clear call to the Chris- 
tian Church. To every soldier of Jesus Christ 
the command is given by David's greater son, 
''Gird ye on every man his sword." The sacred 
cause of Freedom, the very foundation of the 
great white throne is threatened, and it was the 
contemplation of evils such as are symbolized in 
Prussian despotism that led Jesus to say, "Think 
not that I am come to send peace on earth: I 
came not to send peace, but a sword." When 
freedom and honour and righteousness are at 
stake it is the Prince of Peace who says, "he that 
hath no sword, let him sell his garment and buy 
one." 

In its final analysis, a nation is the unit writ 
large. As citizens we are in a measure re- 
sponsible for our national ideals. Into the fair 
garden of Germany, so ably cultivated by Luther, 
an enemy came and sowed tares while the Church 
was asleep. For forty years that pernicious seed 
has been taking root and now behold the harvest. 
Civilization has been challenged. Every Chris- 
tian must have felt the force of this affront. In 
this great Armageddon we adopt a neutral atti- 



Deacidified using the Bookkeeper process. 
Neutralizing agent: Magnesium Oxide 
Treatment Date: May 2006 

PreservationTechnoIogies 

A WORLD LEADER IN PAPER PRESERVATION 

1 1 1 Thomson Park Drive 
Cranberry Township, PA 16066 
(724) 779-2111 



